University of Virginia Library

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS OF ITALIAN PRINTED MUSIC
OF THE SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES

THE earliest printed music was presented in two different layouts on the
page, both derived directly from those used in manuscripts. The first
publisher of music (Ottaviano Petrucci, working in Venice in 1501) used
both layouts: for many of his titles, he presented compositions in separate
partbooks, so that each voice (or, later, instrument) had a separate book,
much in the manner that modern orchestral musicians play from separate
parts. For his successors, most books were in quarto or octavo, the choice
depending on the repertoire presented. This was by far the commonest
method of printing music, and will be the focus of the present study. At the
same time, some prestigious volumes (of mass settings, in particular) were
printed in what is called "choir-book" layout, with the music which each
musician was to sing printed in a different part of the two pages of an opening.
Later, and not before the seventeenth century, some music was printed
in score, with all the parts synchronised and laid out one below another.

Books in choir-book layout or in score presented some problems for the
compositor, mostly concerning casting-off and adjusting spacing to allow for
different densities of notation for simultaneous music. These problems did
not arise when working with partbooks, although the compositor would still
have to adjust the spacing of the music to that of the text, or vice-versa. This
was difficult only in multiple-impression printing (most frequently found in
liturgical books), when music and text were printed at separate passes through
the press.

However, partbooks for a single title do raise problems for the modern
bibliographer, in deciding whether or not they are to be treated as separate
units.[1] The easy solution would be to see them as parts of a larger work, akin
to the volumes of a multi-volume prose work, even though, textually, they
do not work in that manner. The contents of the different partbooks are to
be "read", performed, simultaneously; one book is useless alone, for it contains
only one voice-part for a multi-voice composition. Further, there is no
evidence that single partbooks were ever intended to be sold alone, without
the other books of a title. For many titles, the dedicatory letter or a publisher's
letter to the reader appears in only one partbook of the set, and even
an index may not be in all books—although that is often a result of a shortage

of space. Finally, many sets of parts are signed consecutively through the
set, from one partbook to the next, and some are even foliated similarly. All
these features suggest that the set of parts was seen by the publisher and user
as a single unit, only complete when all parts were present.

On the other side, apparently suggesting that each partbook was thought
of as a separate item, is the fact that, after the earliest years of the sixteenth
century, all partbooks had full title-pages, with publication details. In practice,
this was necessary for most users, for a set of parts was often not kept
together. Instead, sets of Tenor books from a number of editions would be
bound together—for they would be sung by the same person—and the corresponding
Cantus or Bassus books similarly kept together. But this was a
matter of convenience, not a reflection of the relationship between part and
whole. It is perhaps analogous to the way in which collections of maps were
made up, with a selection that met the needs of the owner.

If, as I suggest, musical partbooks are seen as strictly part of a single unit,
the collation of a set of parts can also be seen as a unit, presented on one
line. I believe that printers and publishers saw the books in that way, although
they did not always arrange the parts in the same order—Cantus
before Tenor before Altus before Bassus. The indication of which part is in
a reader's hand does not appear on the direction line, but only on the title-page
and headline: because of these features (discussed below), I suggest the
addition of editorial indications of the part-names on the collation line—
initial letters in brackets with a colon, so that they may not be confused with
editorial signatures, as in the following examples.[2] This provides the evidence
for printers following differing patterns of work, and even for stylistic
change in the music itself.

It also avoids the extensive use of preceding superscripts to indicate repeated
signatures: the part-name (abbreviated) is sufficient to distinguish
signatures re-appearing in different partbooks, as in Example 43, below.
Superscripts are reserved for repetitions within a single partbook.

The part-name indication is not always necessary in the continuation of
a description. When each partbook in a set is signed differently, the signature
itself identifies a folio absolutely: only when partbooks repeat signatures is it
necessary to distinguish them, and I propose the simple solution given after
Example 47.

The first three decades of the sixteenth century the period of Ottaviano
Petrucci, Andrea Antico, and the Doricos, saw the gradual establishment of
standardised procedures for music printing. The following period, roughly
that of the second third of the sixteenth century, the period of Antonio
Gardano and Girolamo Scotto, saw the appearance in Italy of single-impression
type-faces, various techniques fairly stabilised, and methods of
production well organised: some of these techniques, such as "vertical

composition",[3] seem to have been new, and a response to the special opportunities
offered by repertoires such as madrigals and canzonets. But, by the
last decade of the century, we enter a period in which many printers appear
to have had difficulty in planning their books efficiently. To some extent, this
is probably a result of the changes in style that emerge at the end of the
sixteenth century. The appearance of monodic and continuo-supported solo
song and motet, sometimes printed in score; the need to present different
compositions within the same book in differing layouts on the page: all these
helped to reduce the viability of the standard typesetting procedures that
had prevailed in the 1550s to 1580s, and the problems were certainly compounded
with the emergence of music printers who seem not to have had a
systematic mind-set, nor the practical non-musical experience of earlier
craftsmen.

Many printers therefore abandoned "vertical setting" entirely, and lost
the benefits of consistency and clear organisation that went with it. Others
adopted patterns of format and signing which are remarkably diverse, and
(on occasion) seem to be almost haphazard. Not infrequently, we must find
it difficult to conceive how the printer could have had a full volume of copy
before him and yet have worked as he did. Indeed, the evidence often indicates
some change of plan, such as a belated expansion in the content of a
book. At the same time, however, it will usually tell us less about the music
itself.

This article comprises a series of illustrations of printers' habits and
bibliographical curiosities, drawn from Italian music printing of the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries. They are accompanied by suggestions as
to how to describe the printed books bibliographically, and (where feasible)
by commentary on their implications for the musical content and its organisation.
As far as possible, the descriptive suggestions are built on the methodology
outlined by Fredson Bowers, although some minor adaptations are
proposed.[4]

Standard abbreviations are used in what follows: A = Alto/Altus; B =
Basso/Bassus: BC = Basso Continuo (or any of the related titles, for example
Organo or Partimento); C = Canto/Cantus; T = Tenor/Tenore; 5 =
Quinto/Quintus; 6 = Sesto/Sextus; etc. Books are given conventional titles,
rather than formal transcriptions of their title-pages. Editions are identified
by their sigla in the Répertoire international des sources musicales (hereafter
RISM): entries with an initial letter followed by a number are found in
Einzeldrucke vor 1800, ed. Karl-Heinz Schlager, RISM, Ser. A (Kassel:
Bärenreiter, 1971- ); entries with an initial year followed by a superscript
number appear in Recueils imprimés, XVIe-XVIIe siècles: liste chronologique,
ed. François Lesure, RISM, Ser. B/I, i (Münich-Duisburg; Henle,
1960).

I. Signatures

Normal Patterns

The most common format for printed music produced during the mid-sixteenth
century is well known. Works were printed in partbooks, in quarto
(either portrait or landscape). Each partbook was distinguished from the
others by two indications. The first was, of course, the part name—Tenor,
Cantus Chorus Secundus, etc.—which normally appeared on the title-page,
and also on at least one headline of each opening. The other comprised two
elements, the system of signatures, and an additional phrase, usually an abbreviated
title of the book, printed on first folios of most gatherings.[5] At
other times, as in the case of some books printed by Petrucci, Pierre Attaingnant
and Tylman Susato (among others),[6] this phrase was replaced by

a typographical emblem or sign, which would differ from those used in other
partbooks or other titles. Taken together, these acted for the binder as a
confirmation that he was collecting together only the sheets for that one title,
and arranging them in the correct order. Normally, therefore, each partbook
had a different sequence of signatures, often selected so that the whole series
formed a continuous alphabetical sequence. The following examples start
from the standard practice of the sixteenth century and diverge into a number
of different situations and solutions, all within the basic concept of a sequence
of signing letters uniting all the books of a set.

• 1. Massaino: Quaerimoniae . . . Op. 34. Venice: Alessandro Raverio, 1609.

  RISM M1288. Copy at Lodi, Duomo, Archivio Capitolare.

  Quarto: [C:] A-D4; [T:] E-H4; [A:] I-M4; [B:] N-Q4; [5:] R-V4.

This was the most widespread pattern for much of the sixteenth century:
the Cantus partbook was almost always signed first in sequence (whenever
it was actually set in type), and the Tenor normally second. The Bassus
usually appears fourth, after the Altus, and before any subsequent parts—
Quintus, etc. This sequence reflected a traditional hierarchy of voices in
composition and style, although that hierarchy was largely obsolete well
before the middle of the sixteenth century.

The pattern would necessarily be modified whenever the music did not
fit exactly into a sequence of standard quarto gatherings.

• 2. Stivori: II Sacrarum Cantionum. Venice: Ricciardo Amadino, 1593.

  RISM S6447. Copy at Kassel, Landesbibliothek und Murharsche Bibliothek.

  Quarto: [C:] A-B4 C6; [T:] D-E4 F6; [A:] G-H4 I6; [B:] K-L4 M6; [5:]
  N-O4 P6; [6:] Q4 R6; [7:] S4.

• 3. Chamatero: II Madrigali à 5. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1569.

  RISM C275=156926. Copy at Kassel, Landesbibliothek und Murharsche
  Bibliothek.

  Quarto: [C:] A-C4 D2; [T:] E-G4 H2; [A:] I-L4 M2; [B:] N-P4 Q2; [5:]
  R-T4 V2.

The principal parts for each of these books all contain 14 folios, though
imposed differently. The Amadino edition supposes that Amadino had decided
to have a six-folio last gathering before reaching the middle of gathering
C and its equivalents. This was not necessary for Scotto. While Scotto

often followed the pattern of Example 3, other printers tended to adopt the
other. But all are still following the normal sequence of letters, and signing
the parts in the conventional order.

This conventional sequence of signatures seems to have been taken seriously
during much of the sixteenth century: care is taken to ensure that all
the letters are used, and in the correct order within books. In one case, the
Gardano firm prepared a book in which the last partbook, the Sextus, apparently
started two signature letters too late: a correction was made in the
preceding part, by signing gathering T with "T.V.X." and "T.V.X.ij":

• 4. Agostini: Canones, et Echo à 5. Venice: Figliuoli di Antonio Gardano,
  1572.

  RISM A405=157213. Copy at Augsburg, Staats- und Stadtbibliothek.

  Quarto: [C:] A-D4; [T:] E-H4; [A:] I-M4; [B:] N-Q4; [5:] R-T4; [6:]
  Y-Z4 AA4.

For the next example, the only surviving partbook has a similar signing:
the last of five gatherings was signed with the double letters "EF". Presumably,
the next partbook (probably the Tenor), was signed from the
letter G.

• 5. II delle Muse à 3. Canzon villanesche alla Napolitana. Rome: Antonio
  Barrè, 1557.

  RISM 155713. Copy at Leipzig, Städtische Bibiotheken, Musikbibliothek.

  Quarto: [C:] A-D4 EF4.

This order of parts was not always maintained. Girolamo Scotto was one
printer who varied the order of partbooks, even from early in his career.
Particularly interesting for an analysis of his craftsmen's activities is the way
in which different orders of signing seem to occur only for short periods. The
pattern shown here, for example, can be found in a number of books published
in 1549, with the Bassus signed first, followed by Cantus, Altus, Tenor
and fifth or further books:[7]

• 6. Gero: II Madrigali à 4 a notte negre. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1549.

  RISM G1648. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [B:] A-C4; [C:] D-F4; [T:] K-M4.

  Note. The Altus partbook is not extant but must have been signed with
  the letters G-I.

Scotto was certainly not the only printer to adopt different orders of
books, though his examples are perhaps the most consistent within themselves.[8]

Other printers adopted various patterns at odd times, with no apparent
reason:

• 7. Naich: Exercitum Seraficum. I Madrigali à 4-5. Rome: Antonio Blado
  [in or before 1544].

  RISM N7. Unique copy at Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.

  Quarto: [A:] A-F4; [T:] G-M4; [B:] N-R4; [C:] S-Y4; [5:] a4 b6.

• 8. Has quatuor missas à 4,5,8. Rome: Giovanni Pietro Collini, 1651.

  RISM 16511. Copies at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale and
  Lucca, Seminario Vescovile.

  Quarto: Choir I: [C:] A18; [A:] B18; [T:] C16; [B:] D16; [Bassus ad Organum:]
  E16; Choir II: [B:] F8; [T:] G8; [C:] H10; [A:] I10.

Such patterns must say something about the order in which the partbooks
were set for the press, but, in the absence of any other evidence, we can not
speculate as to possible reasons for the unusual sequence—in Example 8 because
the two choirs are not set and signed in the same order.

A different pattern was increasingly adopted during the seventeenth
century, in which the Altus was signed before the Tenor:

• 9. Cazzati: Antifone, letanie e Te Deum à 8, Op. 19. Bologna: Gioseffo
  Micheletti, 1686.

  RISM C1608. Copy at Lucca, Seminario Vescovile.

  Quarto: Choir I: [C] A16; [A:] B16; [T:] C16; [B:] D16; Choir II: [C:]
  E16; [A:] F16; [T:] G16; [B:] H16; [Organo:] I14.

• 10. Scelta di motetti de diversi. Rome: Lodovico Grignani, 1647.

  RISM 16471. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C1:] A-B12; [C2:] C12 D10; [A:] E16; [T:] F10; [B:] G8; [Organo:]
  H18.

It seems reasonable to suggest that this followed, with the delay traditional
to craft skills, a recognition of the declining pre-eminence of the
Tenor in the construction of sacred music.

It would be interesting to trace the stages at which different publishers
adopted this arrangement as normal practice. The rather random evidence
that I have collected so far suggests that Filippo Lomazzo in Milan was
among the first, for the pattern appears in editions he put out with the Tini
heirs in 1607 (B. Regio: I Missarum ac sacrarum cantionum à 5, 8, RISM
R725) and 1608 (Baglioni: I Sacrarum Cantionum, Op. 2, RISM
B644) and

it continues throughout his career: he was followed by Rolla (although with
a few exceptions, such as Levi's I Salmi di Terza of 1647). Roman printers
soon followed suit, for the Altus is signed second in books by Bartolomeo
Zannetti in 1614 (Selectae Cantiones, RISM 16143), by Luc' Antonio Soldi
from 1620 (Tarditi, II Psalmi [etc.], RISM T225), by Giovanni Battista
Robletti from 1622 (Nenna: Sacrae hebdomodae responsoria à 5, RISM
N381), though not consistently, and by Paolo Masotti from his earliest editions
in 1626 (Talone, Armonicus parnasus à 3-4, Op. 1, RISM T62). Lodovico
Grignani was using this arrangement by 1647. On the other hand, the
two principal publishing families in Venice, the Magni and Vincenti, both
preserved the traditional arrangement for much longer: for Vincenti, the
change occurred during the years 1649 and 1650. In 1649 his edition of
Capuana's Motets, Op. 3 (RISM R952) uses the new sequence of parts:
although this rapidly became the norm, at least one edition of 1650 retained
the old order. For Magni, the change seems to have come even later,
perhaps as late as 1660. Bolognese publishers had certainly adopted the new
sequence by then: indeed Cazzati takes the practice somewhat further, in
that solo instrumental parts are signed first, even before the principal vocal
parts: for his Messa e salmi à 5, Op. 36 (Bologna: M. Silvani, 1665), the violin
parts are signed with A and B, and the Alto Viola with C; solo vocal parts
use D-H and the Ripieno I-L, with the two continuo parts signed M and N.
The same pattern can be found in his later books, though not consistently:
Le quattro Antifone annuale, Op. 42 (Bologna: s.n., 1667) has the single
vocal part signed with C, with the two violin parts using A and B and the
Organ part D. However, his Salmi brevi à 4, Op. 58 signs both choirs of
singers before any instruments.

If the set of books used more than 23 gatherings, the series could be
extended with a few conventional signs—an asterisk, an obelus, even an
ampersand:

• 11. Motetti del frutto, I à 6. Venice: Antonio Gardano, 1539.

  RISM 15393. Copy at Verona, Academia Filarmonica.

  Landscape quarto: [C:] A-D4; [T:] E-H4; [B:] I-M4; [A:] N-Q4; [5:] R-V4;
  [6:] X-Z4 *4.

  Note. This is another case where the traditional order of signing books
  has been changed, in this instance with the Bassus signed earlier in
  the sequence than the Altus. In his first book of five-voiced Motetti
  del frutto, of 1538, Gardano signed the Bassus before the Tenor
  book.

If several gatherings were involved, a second alphabet of signatures
would become essential. Ideally (and normally during the sixteenth century),
this second alphabet would be distinguished from the first by some simple
typographical device (perhaps an asterisk following the letter), or, for example,
with the use of doubled letters:

• 12. Villani: V Psalmi à 8. Venice: Angelo Gardano, 1611.

  RISM V1554. Copy at Piacenza, Archivio e Biblioteca Capitolare.

  Quarto: Choir I: [C] A-D4; [T:] E-H4; [A:] I-M4; [B] N-Q4;

  Choir II: [C:] R-V4; [T:] X-Z4 Aa4; [A:] Bb-Ee4; [B:] Ef-Ii4.

This pattern of four gatherings per partbook, each with four folios in
portrait quarto, is surprisingly common, given the wide variety of styles that
were included in printed books. It is as if the printers and publishers felt
that 16 folios contained as much music (with title, table of contents, and
perhaps dedication) as the average purchaser was willing to pay for, or
perform. It is even to be found fairly frequently in music for two choirs:
apart from Examples 9 and 12, see also Lambardi's Psalmodia Vespertina II
of 1605 (printed by the Cenobio Santo Spirito in Venice) or Sorte's Vespertina
(Venice: Angelo Gardano, 1593), among many others.

The use of small gatherings, usually in quarto, would continue for
many years. But already before 1600, Vincenti was printing in longer gatherings,
and signing them as in the next examples:

• 13. F. Anerio: I Sacri Hymni à 8. Venice: Giacomo Vincenti, 1596.

  RISM A1080. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: Choir I: [C:] A12; [T:] B12; [A:] C12; [B:] D12;

  Choir II: [C:] E12; [T:] F12; [A:] G12; [B:] H12.

• 14. Sacra Corona. Motetti à 2-3. Venice: Francesco Magni, 1656.

  RISM 16561. Copy at Washington, Library of Congress.

  Quarto: [C1:] A40; [C2:] B42; [B:] C32; [Basso Continuo:] D32.

Such large gatherings could raise a problem for the print-shop: the house
foreman had to be able to cast off copy fairly accurately, so that a compositor
would be sure of the size of a gathering and sheets could be set and printed
without any fear of miscalculation. Sometimes, things did not quite work
out: the compositor might decide too soon that he had reached the midpoint
of the gathering, and start to complete the central formes. The result
could then be a need for a short additional gathering at the end of a part-book:

• 15. Bonetto: Mottecta à 1-12. Venice: Francesco Magni, 1662.

  RISM B3466. Copy at Wroclaw, Biblioteka Uniwersytecka.

  Quarto: [C1:] A64 2A4; [5:] E20 2E4; [Organo:] I48 K56; [etc.]

The first gathering of the Cantus is signed normally, from A2, with
arabic numerals. The second gathering is signed on the first sheet with the
phrase "A in fine" and on the second with "A2". After 32 folios, the compositor
was apparently confident that he was about at the middle of his
material, but on reaching the end, he found that there was a little more,

necessitating a supplementary gathering. A similar miscalculation marks all
the partbooks, and is reflected in the organ book, where the second gathering
has to be slightly larger than the first.[9]

• 16. Cazzati: Compieta e letanie à 4, Op. 7. Venice: Alessandro Vincenti, 1647.

  RISM C1585. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C:] A14 Aa2; [T:] B16; [A:] C14 Cc2; [B:] D16; [Basso Continuo:]
  H-I12.

In this book, it seems that the compositor for the Tenor book had learned
from the experience with the Cantus or Altus book.

Some editions appear to show a compromise solution, in which two
signature letters were allocated to each partbook: the second could act to
collect together whatever was left after the first had been set up and printed.
This probably explains the irregular structure of gatherings in the following
example:

• 17. Has alteras sacras cantiones. Rome: Lodovico Grignani, 1645.

  RISM 16452. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C:] A12 B16; [T:] C16 D14; [A:] E16; [B:] F12 G10; [Organum:]
  H-I12.

For some repertories, given the manner in which they were presented,
this may have been almost the only possible solution. The many "scores"
for solo madrigals and motets, and so on, printed in score layout in a single
book, provide an excellent example. The very diverse rhythmic structure of
these works, not to mention the presence of recitative sections, produced
different amounts of music to the page: as a result, it would be much more
difficult to cast off the music in advance. Only a very experienced musicprinting
shop could have divided such a book between equal gatherings, or
between two compositors. A second result, for long gatherings, is that we
can normally assume the presence of many more sorts in the case for a
music fount, whenever the musical text could not be cast off in advance.

Added Material

The following sequence is clearly different, for the conventional signs
do not follow on from the end of a complete sequence of 23 letters, but are
found in gatherings added at the end of each partbook:

• 18. Il primo libro de madrigali, a quatro voci. De diversi autori. A notte
  negre. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1558.

  RISM 155811. Copy at London, British Library.

  ---

  205

  
  
  

  Landscape quarto: [C:] A-E4 +2; [T:] F-K4 ++2; [B:] Q-V4 X2.

  Note. The Alto does not survive, but was surely signed L-P4 +++2.

The placing of the conventional Maltese crosses to sign an additional
bifolium at the end of each part is significant. The book was apparently
planned to have five gatherings in each part, and signatures were assigned
accordingly. Either Scotto miscalculated, and had to add pages at the end of
each part, or else the editor produced some additional music after printing
was well under way. But the book was set by "vertical setting", so that the
Tenor gathering F, the Alto L and the Bassus Q were prepared with the
Cantus A, and before any other gatherings. Thus is would not have been
possible, if adding another gathering at the end of each partbook, to sign it
with the next available letter; for example, the sixth Cantus gathering could
not have been signed with the letter F without causing potential confusion.
Even so, it is significant that the additional pages were not merely added to
the last lettered gathering of each book, to make six folios.[10] This suggests
that the change came late in the printing process, after much of the work on
the last lettered gatherings (E, K and P) had been completed, after the midpoint
of those gatherings. Given that the last pieces were additional to the
contents found in earlier editions, the late decision to include this new music
is the likely explanation.[11]

The same effect can be seen in Rinaldo da Montagnana's first book of
five-voiced motets (Gardano 1563), with a Maltese cross for the last gathering
of each part, although in other ways that is a normal gathering, with
four folios. Once again, it looks as though further pieces were added at a
late point in preparing the edition. The last four works, occupying six pages,
are for six voices, and the first three of them are by a different composer. It
seems reasonable to argue that someone other than the publisher was financially
responsible for the book, either paying for it directly, or undertaking
to take a large number of copies. This is the easiest explanation of the

willingness of the publisher to add a whole gathering to each partbook, with
the extra costs of labour and (especially) paper, late in the process.

A similar phenomenon occurs in Scotto's edition of the combined first
and second books of madrigals by Verdelot, published in 1540:

• 19. Di Verdelotto Tutti li madrigali del primo, et secondo libro a quatro
  Voci. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1540.

• RISM 1228=154020. Copy at Wolfenbüttel, Herzog-August-Bibliothek.

• Quarto: [C:] A-G4 H2; [T:] a-g4 h2; [A:] AA-GG4 HH2; [B:] aa-gg4 hh2.

Here again, we might assume that the short final gathering merely included
the few madrigals that were left over and to be included after the
completion of gathering G—especially since the edition represents a reprinting
of earlier books. But the evidence suggests otherwise: at the foot of G4v
in all partbooks is the word FINIS. Gathering H contains three additional
madrigals, attributed to Willaert, Verdelot and Barre, none of which had
appeared in earlier editions of either book.[12] Given that Scotto had printed a
five-voiced anthology in the same year, in which Willaert and his "discipulo"
Leonardo Barre were highly featured on the title-page and were first in the
contents,[13] it seems likely that one of these two composers (probably the
younger and less well-known Barre) requested the addition to the present
volume.

A more complex example of the same situation is the following edition,
which started out with partbooks planned to be three gatherings long.
Apparently a whole gathering of music was added at some stage. The printer
could well have chosen to sign the new gathering according to Example 18,
above. The solution actually adopted must have raised questions in the
minds of booksellers, binders or others faced with unbound sheets.

• 20. Metallo: Magnificat a quattro, & a cinque. Venice: Erede di Girolamo
  Scotto, 1603.

• RISM M2435. Copy at London, British Library.

• Quarto: [C:] A-D4; [T:] D-F4 Ff4; [A:] G-K4; [B:] K-M4 Mm4.

In this example, two different methods of coping with the problem of
pre-assigned signatures were used. Cantus and Altus merely employ the next
letter (even though that means a duplication of signatures D and K): Tenor
and Bassus use a duplication of the final letter (even though that was not
necessary for the Bassus). The implication is probably that two different
compositors were involved: there is evidence that, even as late as this volume,
compositors had some freedom in presentation, not merely of the verbal text
(as commonly elsewhere), but also of the musical notation. Therefore,
volumes with this sort of pattern should be examined for evidence of the

compositors reaching slightly different editorial decisions both in layout and
in details of musical notation.

An example such as the following might also suggest that two craftsmen
were involved; but further examination indicates clearly that there was a
change of plan before the book went on sale:

• 21. Massaino: Sacri modulorum Concentus à 8, 9-12 . . . Op. 31. Venice:
  Angelo Gardano, 1606.

• RISM M1285. Copy at Rome, Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia.

• Quarto:

         

  [C:] A-B4 C6 AA4 BB6	[C2:] N-O4 P6 NN4 OO6	[9:] Bd-Dd4
  [T:] D-E4 F6 DD4 EE6	[T2:] Q-R4 S6 QQ4 RR6	[10:] Ee-Ff4
  [A:] G-H6 I6 GG4 HH6	[A2:] T-V4 X6 TT4 VV6	[11:] Gg6
  [B:] K-L4 M6 KK4 LL6	[B2:] Y-Z4 Aa6 YY4 ZZ6	[12:] Hh6

I have arranged the parts in this tabular fashion, in order to highlight
several significant features. The most obvious is the use of the two sets of
signatures for each of the first eight partbooks, representing two four-voiced
choirs. The ordinary run of signatures for the opening gatherings of these
books reached into a second alphabet by the end of the second Bassus, with
the entirely conventional use of Aa. These gatherings carry a standard presentation
and signing for a book of eight-voiced motets, apparently intended
to be complete and self-contained. Folio Aalr has the word "finis" after the
signature: this reflects a common practice in Gardano's shop, indicating the
last gathering of a set of partbooks. In addition, an index of the preceding
pieces is found on folio 6r of each third gathering of these eight partbooks.
After the book was completed in this form, it was expanded to include
additional pieces scored for more than eight voices. The additional signatures
for these works in the first eight partbooks could not use the pattern
"Aa", which had been started in the second Bassus: that was more logically
used for the additional partbooks for voices 9-12. For the added gatherings
of the original partbooks, a new style had to be adopted, and one with
double capital letters, "AA", etc., was employed.[14]

Miscalculations

In many volumes (principally those not containing madrigals or other
secular vocal music), the various partbooks had to be of different sizes, to
contain music of differing complexity in the various parts. This would not
normally cause a problem in planning the signatures:

• 22. Portinaro: III Madregali à 5-6. Venice: Antonio Gardano, 1557.

• RISM P5226. Copy at Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.

• Quarto: [C:] A-C4 D2; [T:] E-H4; [A:] I-M4; [B:] N-Q4; [5:] R-V4.

In this case, a compositor or his foreman realised that all partbooks
would need at least part of a fourth gathering, and planned accordingly. It
does not matter which voice-part he used to make the calculation, for all
would have yielded the same conclusion. Occasionally, however, the lengths
of the various parts might differ significantly. A competent compositor (or
house editor) could plan ahead, and assign signatures accordingly, before
work started:

• 23. Brumel: Misse. Venice: Ottaviano Petrucci, 1503.

• RISM B4643. Copy at Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.

• Quarto: [S:] A-B8 C4; [T:] D10; [A:] E-F8 G4; [B:] H-I8.

• 24. Sabino: V Madrigali à 5-6. Venice: Giacomo Vincenti & Ricciardo Amadino,
  1586.

• RISM S50. Copy at Krakow, Biblioteta Jagielloʼnska.

• Quarto: [C:] A-C4; [T:] D-G4; [A:] H-K4; [B:] L-N4; [5:] O-Q4.

• Note. In the second example, Vincenti and Amadino placed the music
  for the Sexta Pars in the few pieces with six voices at the end of the
  Tenor book: they provided for this in the pattern of signatures, in
  which the Tenor was allocated an extra gathering and signature
  letter.

In some cases, the printer seems not to have been able to foresee this
need, and was faced, late in the process, with inserting an extra gathering at
the end of one or more of the partbooks:

• 25. Annibale Padovano: I Ricercari à 4. Venice: Antonio Gardano, 1556.

• RISM A1250. Copies at London, Royal College of Music, and Szombathely,
  Püpöski Könyvtár.

• Quarto: [C:] A-C4 *2; [T:] D-F4 +2; [A:] G-I4; [B:] K-N4.

Here, the original plan had evidently been to have three gatherings for
each partbook, though in fact three of the parts required more space, only
the Alto conforming to pattern. For the Basso, which was last in sequence,
there was no problem in assigning a signature: the additional fourth gathering
could be signed with the next letter in the alphabet. For the Canto and
Tenore, however, this would have resulted in duplicated letters, and conventional
signs were used instead.[15]

When an additional gathering had to be inserted in this manner, an
alternative method (and one perhaps of more use to the binder) was to use a
different form, or a double statement, of the immediately preceding signing
letter, as for the Altus of the following example:

• 26. Animuccia: I Madrigali à 4-6. Venice: Antonio Gardano, 1547.

• RISM A1421. Copy at Verona, Accademia Filarmonica.

• Quarto: [C:] A-E4; [T:] F-K4; [A:] L-P4 PP2; [B:] Q-V4; [5:] X-Z4.

This example does indeed look as though it represents a miscalculation
in the printing shop: but in many cases, we can not tell whether the signatures
indicate a change of plan (for example, involving the addition of more
compositions) or a miscalculation:

• 27. Lassus and others: I Missae à 4-5. Milan: Francesco & eredi di Simone
  Tini, 1588.

• RISM 15884. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

• Quarto: [C:] A-D4 e4; [T:] E-H4 i4; [A:] I-M4 n4; [B:] N-R4; [5:] S4.

• 28. Corfini: Il secondo libro de motetti. Venice: Alessandro Gardano, 1581.

• RISM C3932. Copy at Lucca, Seminario Arcivescovile.

• [C:] A-D4, 2D2; [T:] E-H4; [A:] I-M4, 2M2; [B:] N-Q4, 2Q2; [5:] R-V4, 2V4;
  [6:] X-Z4 AA-BB4.

• Signatures:] Aij [$2-1,1.[16] No signatures on title-pages. The first of each
  two-folio gathering signed in the pattern] D3

In both these cases, I suspect, there was a slip on the part of the printer,
who had apparently allocated four gatherings (and signature letters) to each
voice part. In the first case, he had discovered the problem before the Quinta
Pars was set, so that the Bassus could have a normal fifth signature. In the
second, it looks as though Gardano planned the book on the basis of the
Tenor part. All the other parts have an extra gathering, and all except the
Sesto employ a repeat signature.[17]

On occasion a section of music is omitted. This could occur because the
compositor made a simple mistake, perhaps a haplograph, or because the
imposition of the pages in the forme omitted one or two complete pages.
The latter seems to be the likely cause of the following:

• 29. Massaino: Concentus quinque vocum. Venice: Angelo Gardano, 1576.

• RISM M1266. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

• Quarto: [C:] A-D4 (C4 + 1).

The folio after C4 is a single leaf containing omitted material. The leaf
has a line reading:] Questa Carta Va posta drieto il numero 22 in Cantus.[18]

Unsigned Gatherings

Many music books, even as early as from the press of Ottaviano Petrucci,
used the same title-page for each part, with the minimal adjustment of
changing the part-name. This was eminently practical, saving not simply
the labour of setting up the type each time, but also the more time-consuming
work of centering each line, and arranging the whole into a standardised,
possibly pleasing ensemble. By early in the seventeenth century, this practice
was sometimes extended from a simple title-page to a complete bifolio, with
title on the first recto, and perhaps a dedication, a Letter to the Reader, or
a table of contents on the other three pages. Very frequently, these two
folios, which needed no change except for the part-name, could be printed
as a separate gathering. Then, this initial gathering need not be signed, so
that even the signature would not need to be changed.

• 30. Graziani: Hinni Vespertini, Op. 21. Rome: successori ai Mascardi, 1674.

• RISM G3690. Copy at Lucca, Seminario Arcivescovile.

• Quarto: [C1:] π2 A-E8; [C2:] π2 F-I8; [A:] π2 K-M8 N6; [T:] π2 O-R8; [B:]
  π2 S-V8; [Organo:] π2 X-Z8 &12.

In the next example, Muti's compositor allowed for the unsigned gatherings
of lower partbooks in his signing pattern:

• 31. Graziani: I Messe à 4-5, Op. 18. Rome: Giovanni Angelo Mutii, 1671.

• RISM G3685. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

• Quarto: [C1:] π2 A-D4 E6; [C2:] [F]2 G-H4 I6; [A:] [K]2 L-P4; [T:] [Q]2
  R-T4 V6; [B:] [X]2 Y-Z4 Aa-Bb4; [BC:] [Cc]2 Dd-Ff4 Gg6.

• Signatures: No signatures in any first gatherings, then $1-2, +E3, I3,
  V3, Gg3.

• 32. Istas Alias Sacras cantiones, ed. Sylvestris. Bologna: Ignatio de Lazzari,
  1664.

• RISM 16641. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

• [C:] π2 A-E4 F6; [T:] π2 a-e4; [A:] π2 1-3C4; [B:] π2 D4, 2D6; [Organo:] π2
  A-K4.

• Signatures: C,T,Org:] A2 [$1-2, + C:F3, B:D3. C:C2 signed E2; T:d2
  signed d.

---

211





• A:] C, C2; Ci, Cii; Cj, Cij.

• B:] D, D2; Di, Dij, Diij.

• Note. This book illustrates one situation where music in parts benefits
  from a slight modification to standard practice. The conventional
  pattern, for example $1-2, is fine for single books (such as choirbooks),
  and works well when all gatherings are of the same size, as
  in many examples above. If only one or two gatherings are anomalous,
  the pattern can still be followed with an entry such as "$1-2,
  +C3, F3", or as for this example. But there are many books, as in
  Example 2 above, where each partbook has the same pattern, of
  four-folio gatherings signed to folio 2, and a final six-folio gathering
  signed to 3: and there are others, such as Example 21, which
  include gatherings of two sizes. In these cases, the compositor normally
  signed the longer gatherings to folio 3. Then, it is simpler to
  use the formulation "$1-2, 1-3", with the implication that the different
  signing patterns correspond to the different gathering sizes.
  This is a valuable modification of Bowers' practice, not so much
  because his pattern causes problems in understanding what happened,
  but because this formulation makes clear that the signing
  patterns are completely straightforward and normal.

In this case, it is certain that two craftsmen were involved, and that
there was little contact between them. One man set the Cantus, Tenor and
Organ books, using the common pattern in which each partbook was signed
sequentially starting with A: it is interesting, too, that he seems to have
intended to use a different form of the letter for each book, in the manner
shown in Examples 34-36. As was customary, the Organ was signed as if
independent of the rest of the parts. The second man set the Altus and
Bassus according to the pattern I have just been describing, and assumed
(without checking) that Cantus and Tenor would be signed A and B respectively,
therefore beginning the Altus with the letter C.

The following book shows a common extension of this seventeenth-century
practice of an introductory gathering, one that implies a certain lavishness
in presentation and the use of white space, a lavishness often at odds
with the poor quality of type, paper, and workmanship.[19]

• 33. Cazzati: Salmi di Terza, Op. 53. Bologna: s.n., 1669.

• RISM C1654. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

• Quarto: nine partbooks, signed sequentially A-I.

• Note. In each partbook, a preliminary gathering of four folios is taken
  up with preliminary material, in the following manner: A1r, blank;
  A1v, blank; A2r, Half-title; A2v, blank; A3r Title; A3v, blank; A4r,
  Dedication; A4v blank.

This was obviously laid out so that it could be used in every partbook,
with only the part-name changed. Despite the extravagant use of paper, a
large number of seventeenth-century musical books seem to have had half-titles,
and quite a few also had a blank folio, preceding that or the title. In
many cases, of course, these blank folios have subsequently become lost, or
(more probably) used for some other purpose. Yet it is an aspect of describing
these books that we determine whether what looks like a fly-leaf was not
in fact a blank first folio of the book itself.

Diverse Styles in the Same Edition

Most of the above examples have started from what was by far the most
common pattern, that of a sequential alphabet, followed through all the
gatherings of each partbook. Among the possible alternatives, two were
frequently used: one involved using some form of conventional sign for
each book (as is to be found in the work of Susato, or of Sengenwald in
Jena);[20] the other involved different forms of the alphabetical sequence,
with each book starting with some form of "A":

• 34. Arcadelt: III Madrigali à 4. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1539.

  RISM A1374=153923. Copy at Venice, Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana.

  Quarto: [C:] A-F4; [T:] a-f 4; [A:] AA-FF4; [B:] aa-ff 4.

A number of other editions printed by Scotto in his early years follow
a similar practice. An interesting example can be found in his 1540 edition
of masses by Morales, Gombert and Jachet:[21]

• 35. Morales, Gombert and Jachet, Missae cum quatuor vocibus. Venice:
  Girolamo Scotto, 1540.

  RISM G2973=M3576=15404.

  Quarto: [C:] A1 B-F4; [T:] a1 b-f 4; [A:] AA1 BB-FF4; [B:] aa1 bb-ff 4.

  Note. Here, the first folio is separate from the rest of the book, and the
  foliation of each part runs [1] VII-XXVI. Evidently, as Bernstein
  argues, there was originally music for a six-folio first gathering,
  which was abandoned. It is reasonable to assume that the deleted
  music was by Morales and Gombert, who are poorly represented
  beside the three works of Jachet.[22]

This pattern of roman and italic letters was employed in Scotto's house
with fair consistency—and a number of exceptions—for two years, after
which a different pattern, in which the Cantus used lower-case letters in
italic or gothic characters (as in RISM G269=15434), was adopted alongside
it.

Other possibilities involved using a mix of roman and italic initials,
capitals and lower case letters, or capitals of different sizes in the same
signature:

• 36. Quattro Libri delle Villotte alla Napolitana à 3. Venice: Girolamo Scotto,
  1565.

  RISM 156511. Copy at Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.

  Octavo: [C:] A-E 8; [T:] AA-EE8; [B:] AAa-EEe8.

• 37. Musica Spirituale I di canzon à 5. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1563.

  RISM 1563.7 Copies at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale;
  Valladolid, Cathedral; and Verona, Accademia Filarmonica.

  Quarto: [C:] A-C4 [using large capitals]; [T:] A-C4 [using small capitals];
  [A:] a-d 4; [B:] aa-cc 4; [5:] Aa-Cc4 Dd2.

Scotto was by no means the only printer to do this on a regular basis:
others did similar things, often simply increasing the number of initials from
one part to the next.

• 38. Cifra: V Motecta à 2-4, Op. 11. Rome: Giovanni Battista Robletti, 1612.

  RISM C2190. Copy at Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.

  Quarto: [C1:] A-C4 D2; [C2:] Aa-Cc4 Dd2; [Bassus ad Organum:] Aaa-Bbb4.

  Note. Almost identical instances can be found in many other books from
  the same press, such as Bernardi's Motecta à 2-4—RISM B2043—of
  1610.)

• 39. Floridus Modulorum Hortus. Rome: Andrea Fei, 1647.

  RISM 16472. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C:] A-F4; [T:] aa-dd4; [A:] Aa-Ff4; [B:] aaa-ddd4 eee8; [Organum:]
  a-f4 g2.

• 40. Garulli: Modulationum à 5, Liber Primus. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1562.

  RISM G447. Copy at London, British Library.

  Quarto: [C:] A-B4 C2; [T:] Aa-Bb 4 Cc 2; [A:] Aaa-Bbb 4 Ccc 2; [B:] Aaaa-
  

  ---

  214

  
  
  
  Bbbb 4 Cccc 2; [5:] Aaaaa-Bbbbb 4 Ccccc 2. (Bassus A2 is signed aaaa 2;
  Quintus B1-2 are signed with Bbbb.)

Here is one place where the musical bibliographer needs to modify the
practices proposed by Bowers: his general recommendation is that, whenever
letters are doubled or tripled (AA or AAA), the bibliographer should
use the formulation 2A or 3A to indicate the pattern. Yet clearly such a
habit cannot distinguish between the signatures of the Tenor and Altus of
Example 39, or indicate the style of letters used in the volume of Villotte
(Example 36). To write "2a" in Example 37 may not raise the question of
whether one is referring to the Bassus or the Quintus, but to write "2A"
certainly does. It seems to me that there is no choice but to spell out all the
sequences as they appear in the book, and as I have done above. At the same
time, and for the same reason, the collation should normally distinguish
between signature letters in roman or italic or boldface, just as it does
between capitals and lower-case letters.

Similar patterns of change can occur in a single partbook, particularly
when each book was assigned only one letter:

• 41. Bandiera: Psalmi Vespertini. Rome: Giacomo Fei, 1663.

  RISM B851. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C:] A8 a4; [A:] B8 b4; [T:] C8 c4; [B:] D8 d4; [Organum:] E6 e2.

  Note. We can assume that the pattern of one signature per part was
  already settled before typesetting began. The subsequent need for
  more than one gathering to a part led to the use of a different
  form of the same letter for the final sheet. We cannot tell whether
  this need was the result of a miscalculation on the part of the printer,
  or of the addition of more material received from the composer.

Sometimes, the mix of letters and letter styles seems to be no more than
a product of caprice on the part of the typesetter:

• 42. Mazzocchi: Sacrae Concertationes. Rome: Giacomo Fei, 1664.

  RISM M1678. Copy at Lucca, Seminario Arcivescovile.

  Quarto:

           

  [C:] [A]4 B-F4	[II C/B:] π4 A-E4
  [T:] [A]4 B4 D4 E2 Ff4	[II A/T:] π4 A 4 B-D4
  [A:] [AA]4 BB4 Cc4 Dd 4 Ee4 Ff2	[B:] π4 A-B 4 C4
  [5:] A4 Aa4 Bb*4 C4 Cc*4 Dd2	[Organo 2:] π4 A 4 B-F4 G2
  [Organo 1:] [Aa]4 Bb4 CC-GG4 HH2

There is little else that can be done here, but list the signatures as they
actually appear. Not surprisingly, there are also errors in the signing of this
edition: for example, the second folio of gathering B of the Tenor has the
signature "Cc*2", presumably left in the forme after the Quintus was completed.

Deliberate Repetition

The need to distinguish the different forms of repeated letters is not the
only place where following Bowers' (now traditional) procedures produces
problems when handling partbooks. One of the simpler is where each
partbook has exactly the same form of signatures:

• 43. Jachet: I Motetti à 5 con la gionta. Venice: Antonio Gardano, iv.1540.

  RISM J7. Copy at Wolfenbüttel, Herzog-August-Bibliothek.

  Quarto: [C:] A-F4; [T:] A-F4; [A:] A-F4; [B:] A-F4; [5:] A-F4.

• 44. Velasco: Messa e Vesperi, Op. 3. Naples: Ottavio Beltrano, 1632.

  RISM V1105. Copy at Naples, Biblioteca Oratoriana dei Geroslamini.

  Quarto: [C:] A-C4; [T:] A-C4; [A:] A-C4; [B:] A-C4; [Partimento:] A-C4.

This pattern was also used when some of the parts were of different
lengths, sometimes (as in Example 46) reflecting the arrangement of increasing
scoring in volumes:

• 45. Motetti C. Venice: Ottaviano Petrucci, 15.ix.1504.

  RISM 15041. All copies.

  Quarto: [C:] A-D8; [T:] A-D8; [A:] A-C8 D10; [B:] A-D8.

• 46. Willaert: Musica Nova. Venice: Antonio Gardano, 1559.

  RISM W1126. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C:] A-P4; [T:] A-P4; [A:] A-P4; [B:] A-P4; [5:] A-M4; [6:] A-H4;
  [7:] A-C4.

• 47. Sacri Concerti overo motetti à 2-3. Bologna: Giacomo Monti, 1668.

  RISM 16682. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C1:] A-E4; [C2:] A-C4 D6; [B:] A-B4 C6; [Organo:] A-D4.

Clearly, in such cases, no reference can be adequately made to the content
or bibliography of an individual partbook without prefacing the citation
with the name or initial of the partbook involved. It is perhaps a nuisance,
though nothing more, to have to do this: but a form such as "C1:C2v" is not
particularly long-winded, is essentially clear and is still easy to read.[23]

I have already mentioned the (largely seventeenth-century) practice of
printing with large gatherings, one per partbook, and with one signature
assigned to each book. As with the earlier examples given here, this is often
very straightforward. But there are many instances where the principle of

using one letter per partbook clashed with a desire to print in separate quarto
gatherings. An amusing example of this clash between two operating principles
is the following:

• 48. Cazzati: Messa e salmi pre li defonti . . . Opera 31. Bologna: erede di
  Evangelista Dozza, 1663.

  RISM C1626. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C:] A-C4 D2; [A:] B-E4 F2; [T1:] C-F4 G2; [T2:] D-F4; [B:]
  E-H4; [Organo:] F-I4; [Violino 1:] G10; [Violino 2:] H10; Ripieno:
  [C:] I8; [A:] K8; [T1:] L8; [T2:] M8; [B:] N8; [Violine, o Tiorba:]
  O-R4.

Here, the original intention was apparently to assign one letter to each
partbook, in sequence from "A" to "O". However, any part that is over ten
folios in length was printed in separate quarto gatherings: these, the principal
vocal parts and the two continuo parts (Organo and Violone), were
then each signed in a traditional sequential pattern. As a result, there are,
for example, five gatherings signed with the letter "F". It may be that two
compositors were involved, one assigned to these parts, and the other to the
remainder. However, I suspect that further research on editions signed by
Dozza will reveal a reluctance to have long single gatherings.

More difficult to describe in a modern bibliography is the practice of
retaining the same initial for all the gaterings in a partbook, but numbering
the signed folios consecutively.[24] Given the practice of signing to the
mid-point of each gathering (in which the second half of a gathering was
not included in the count) the following signature pattern would be found
in a quarto book of 16 folios:

         

folio	1	2	3	4
gathering 1	—	A2	—	—
gathering 2	A3	A4	—	—
gathering 3	A5	A6	—	—
gathering 4	A7	A8	—	—

When the gatherings are not all of the same size, as often happens, the
patterns can seem even more complicated—although, in practice, they do
reveal the gathering structure very quickly:

• 49. Cazzati: Salmi di Terza, Op. 53. Bologna: s.n., 1669.

  RISM C1654. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: Canto primo choro: three gatherings, of 4, 4 and 8 folios:

  ---

  217

  
  
  
         

  folio	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
  gathering 1	—	A2	—	—
  gathering 2	A3	A4	—	—
  gathering 3	A5	A6	A7	A8	—	—	—	—

  Note. Other parts are signed sequentially, B-I in the same manner.

It is evident that the leaf signed "A3" in this example is not the third
folio of the first gathering, following A2, as one would normally expect:
similarly, "A4" would normally refer to the last folio of the same gathering,
whereas the printer has used it to designate the sixth folio of the book. In
effect, though, the printer's method is entirely logical, for "A4" represents
the fourth signed leaf, but it makes a mess of all modern practice of description.[25]

We have to distinguish these gatherings in the collation, and also to
indicate the manner of signing: one can not merely write A4 A4 A8, for there
is no way of distinguishing between the first two gatherings, and the presumption
would be that each carried a signature of "A2" on the second folio:
nor can one write A14 A34 A58, for this implies that the third gathering is
signed "A5" throughout,[26] and the other gatherings similarly.

I have already used the convention proposed by Bowers, following on
from McKerrow, in which preceding superscripts in the collational formula
indicate the repetition of a signing letter or sequence of letters.[27] For him,
a book could be described as A-Z4, 2A-Q4 (note the essential use of the comma),
indicating a series of 23 gatherings signed from A to Z, followed by 16 more
signed in an identical manner. For such a book, he proposed the shorthand
version A-2Q4. This notation presents certain drawbacks, more apparent in
music printing than elsewhere, for the implication is that all the signature
letters between A and the second Q are present, a total of 39 gatherings.
However, this is rare in musical editions. Let us suppose a music partbook of
four gatherings in quarto, all signed with A. To write A-4A4 would imply
three complete alphabets of letters, followed by a fourth appearance of the
signature A, a total of 70 gatherings. Similarly, to write A4 2A4 3A4 4A4 or
1-4A4 implies gatherings signed A, AA, AAA and AAAA. The musical bibliographer
would therefore have to describe the book as A4, 2A4, 3A4, 4A4; this

could be abbreviated to 1-4A4, even thought this does not indicate the actual
signing as clearly as traditional formulae do.

In cases of this sort, where this may be the most convenient formulation,
the signature pattern could then be shown in a normal manner. Cazzati's
book (Example 49) would be described as follows:

• 50. Cazzati: Salmi di Terza, Op. 53. Bolona: s.n., 1669.

  RISM C1654. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: Canto primo choro: 1-2A4, 3A8.

  Signatures:] A2 [$1-2, -1A1, + 3A3—4. Numbered sequentially through
  the gatherings, A2 signed A2; 2A1-2 signed A3 and A4; 3A1-4 signed
  A5-A8.[28]

This may seem clumsy, but it has an advantage over all other possibilities,
in being precise, and in allowing the bibliographer to understand how
the book was constructed (as well as signed).

In practice, musical bibliographers could perhaps adopt a short-hand,
using the phrase "numbered sequentially through the part" to indicate this
practice of numbering each gathering from where the previous one ended.
This would save us having to indicate in detail the numbering pattern in
many music books of the seventeenth century, an area of research which is
fortunately not yet cluttered with other solutions.

• 51. Monferrato: Messe . . . Op. 19. Venice: Giuseppe Sala, 1681.

  RISM M3051. Copy at Paris, Bibliothèque nationale.

  Quarto: [C:] π2 1-3A4, 4A6; [T:] π2 1-4A4, 5A6; [A:] π2 1-5A4; [B:] π2 1-5A4.

  Signatures:] A2 [$1-2, 1-3, including A1. Numbered sequentially through
  each partbook, from the second gathering.

This phrase "numbered sequentially through each partbook" would then
imply the pattern of signatures shown here:[29]

                         

Cantus:	folio	1	2	3	4	5	6
gathering 1		—	—
gathering 2		A1	A2	—	—
gathering 3		A3	A4	—	—
gathering 4		A5	A6	—	—
gathering 5		A7	A8	A9	—	—	—
Tenor:
gathering 1		—	—
gathering 2		A1	A2	—	—
gathering 3		A3	A4	—	—
gathering 4		A5	A6	—	—
gathering 5		A7	A8	—	—
gathering 6		A9	A10	A11	—	—	—

[and similarly for the other books].

The practice of repeating a signature letter throughout a book becomes
a widespread manner of printing partbooks during the seventeenth century,
and I have found examples in the work of Camagno, Rolla, Sala and Tradate,
among others. It seems to have been particularly employed by printers who
specialised in music for many parts. However, there were obviously likely to
be other occasions on which it was of use.

An interesting example concerns the Armonici Entusiasmi, Op. 9 of
G. B. Bassani, printed by Sala in 1690 (RISM B1186). Each part is signed in
this manner, but the choice of signatures suggests a lack of communication
between two craftsmen. The four parts of the solo choir are signed with A-D,
as are the four of the Ripieno choir: the two violin parts are signed with I
and K, and the Organ with M, evidently following a presumption that the
Ripieno would be signed with E-H. The Violone (which presumably should
have been signed with L) has G as its signature, perhaps assuming that the
two violin parts would be signed with E and F. Perhaps one craftsman set
solo A-D and I, K and M, while the other was responsible for the Ripieno
A-D and G.

There are rare instances in the sixteenth century, where a signature
letter is repeated as a result of a change of plan or a miscalculation,[30] and
the second gathering is signed according to the pattern of Examples 49-51.
The next two examples seem to me to be cases where material was added to
the volume during the process of printing. In the first, I do not believe that
Gardano, with over twenty years of experience, would have failed to recognise
a four-gathering collection, as opposed to a three-gathering one:

• 52. Nasco: Lamentationi a voce pari. Venice: Antonio Gardano, 1561.

  RISM N74. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  [C:] A-C4, 2C4; [T:] D-F4, 2F4, *2; [A:] G-I4, 2I4, **2; [B:] K-M4, 2M4.

  Signatures:] Aij [$1-2 including *2 and **2 -all title-pages: gatherings
  with a repeated letter are signed with arabic numerals 3 and 4.

The signature patterns described by this are illustrated here with the
Tenor partbook:

           

gathering	folios:	1	2	3	4
D		—	Dij	—	—
E		E	Eij	—	—
F		F	Fij	—	—
2F		F3	F4	—	—
*		*	*2

• 53. I Musica de diversi auttori illustri à 7-12. Venice: Giacomo Vincenti and
  Ricciardo Amadino, 1584.

  RISM 15844. Copy at Verona, Accademia Filarmonica.

  Quarto:

  • Choir I: [C1:] A-B4, 1-3C4; [T1:] D-E4, 1-3F4; [A1:] G-H4, 1-3I4; [B1:]
    K-L4, 1-3M4;

  • Choir II: [T2:] Q-R4, 1-3S4; [B2:] T-V4, 1-3X4; [A2:] Y-Z4 Aa-Cc4.

  • Gatherings with repeated letters are signed sequentially.

  Note. Canto 2 is not extant, but was presumably signed N-O4 1-3P4.
  Signature pattern in Cantus I:

             

  gathering	folios:	1	2	3	4
  1		—	A2	—	—
  2		B	B2	—	—
  3		C	C2	—	—
  4		C3	C4	—	—
  5		C5	C6	—	—

I find it impossible to argue that the need to add two full gatherings of
music at the end of each partbook, after only three signed normally, was
the result of miscalculation. Instead, I assume that the music that begins at
the end of the third gathering was a later addition. This comprises works
for nine or more voices, while all the earlier pieces were composed for seven
or eight voices. The volume is entitled Libro Primo, although no volume 2
seems to have appeared. I suspect that volume 1 was originally intended to
contain only the pieces for seven or eight voices, and volume 2 would have
contained the larger scorings. At a late stage in the production of the
volume (after the signatures had been planned, the title-page printed, and
perhaps also several other gatherings finished), these were added to the
present book, possibly because there were not enough works to justify a
separate title. After all, the pieces for 9-12 voices take up only a little over
two gatherings.

One other feature of the book's production is interesting. For Choir 2,
the Alto is signed after the Basso. This allows the additional gatherings in
the Alto to be signed with continuing letters, rather than with repetitions
of the third letter of the book. (Much the same pattern can be found elsewhere,
in, for example, Falcidio's first book of masses—RISM F68, or Asola's
Missae tres—RISM A2505, both printed by Gardano's sons in 1570.)

This signing pattern can also be extended to longer gatherings, each
comprising more than one sheet of paper. The following example exactly
follows the pattern, although the results look even more bizarre:

• 54. Cozzi: Messa e Salmi, Corr. Op. 1. Milan: Carlo Camagno & Giorgio
  Rolla, 1649.

  RISM C4358. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  [Parts:]

  • Quarto in eights: Choir I: [C:] 1-4A8; [A:] 1-4B8; [T:] 1-4C8; [B:] 1-4D8;

  • Choir II: [C:] 1-3A8, 4A6; [A:] 1-3B8, 4B6; [T:] 1-3C8, 4C6; [B:]
    1-3D8, 4D6.

  • Signatures:] A4 [$1-4, 1-3, —first two folios of each book. T1: 2C1r
    signed B5 [recte C5]; T1:4C1r signed B13 [recte C13].

  Signatures numbered sequentially through each part.

  Abbreviated titles on direction lines on 1r and 3r of every gathering
  except for title-pages.

  Pagination: [i-iii], 1-.

  [Partitura de Bassi per l'Organo:]

  • Folio: A-F8 G10.

  • Signatures:] A2 [$4 + G5, -A1 and A2.

  • Signature line on 1r and 3r: : -A1. + G5.

  The signatures in the Canto of Choir I read as follows:

           

  gathering	folios:	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
  1		—	—	A3	A4	—	—	—	—
  2		A5	A6	A7	A8	—	—	—	—
  3		A9	A10	A11	A12	—	—	—	—
  4		A13	A14	A15	A16	—	—	—	—

This manner of describing the signing patterns does make it more
clumsy to indicate errors: here, for the vocal parts it is necessary to show
not only the error and its position, but also the "correct" version, since that
will not always be immediately obvious to the reader.

Unfortunately, the emergence of two new features mentioned here—a
more lavish display of the title and dedication (involving a separate gathering
and sometimes blank pages), and the retention of the same signature
letter for a whole book—did not happen simply and cleanly. Thus there are
many books where the patterns are not consistent, or where we can see intermediate
stages in the process:

• 55. dal Pane: II Sagri Concerti à 2-5, Opera Terza. Rome: il Mascardi, 1675.

  RISM D825. Copy at Lucca, Seminario Arcivescovile.

  [C1:] A20; [C2:] B2, 2B16; [A:] C2, 2C12; [B:] D2, 2D12; [Organo:] E2,
  2E8 F8 G12.

The first two folios in all partbooks carry the same material: title-page, a
blank page, a dedication, and a letter A chi vorrà servirsi deli presenti concerti,
all of which could be left standing for each book, with the simple
change of the part-name on the first recto. All voices except Canto Primo
have a short first gathering, merely a bifolio, to carry this material: all also
follow the modified signing pattern that I have been describing above, with
the exception of a single error in Canto Secondo. The Canto Primo presents
all the material in one gathering, but signs the folios as if in two gatherings,
and following a more traditional pattern of beginning each from 1:

                   

[C1:]	A, -, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, [10 unsigned]
[C2:]	B, -;
	B3, B3 [recte B4], B5, B6, B7, B8, B9, B10, [8 unsigned]
[A:]	C, -;
	C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, [6 unsigned]
[B:]	D, -;
	D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, D8, [6 unsigned]
[Organo:]	E, -;
	E3, E4, E5, E6 [4 unsigned]
	[F and G signed normally]

The following is a more complex illustration of the same point, one in
which we can safely assert that two craftsmen were involved, one preparing
only five partbooks, and the second preparing the other eight. I have arranged
the parts to highlight the pattern:

• 56. Bassano: Messe Concertati, Op. 18. Bologna: Marino Silvani, 1698.

  RISM B1209. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bobliografico Musicale.

                         

  Quarto:	[C1:] A2, 2A4 B-E4	[C2:] A-F4;
  	[T:] A2, 2A4 B-D4 E6	[B:] A-E4 F6;
  	[A:] A2, 2A4 B-E4 F6
  Ripieno:	[C1:] A2, 2A4 B6	[T:] A-D4;
  	[C2:] A2, 2A4 B6	[A:] A-D4;
  		[B:] A-D4;
  		[Violino 1:] A-F4;
  		[Violino 2:] A-E4 F2;
  		[Organo:] A-G4 H6.
  Signatures:	[A 2 [$1-2, 1-3. -all title-pages, and F2 of Violino Secondo.
  Pagination:	all in the first column: [i-iv], 1-
  	all in the second column: [1-2], 3-

There is no easy way to describe the signature patterns of the first of
these two examples or to lay out the collational patterns of the second. Yet
the details are important, and not only for the bibliographer and printing
historian. The musical scholar is given clear evidence of exactly those details

of presentation which (in manuscript study) are frequently indicative of
differences in presentation or indeed content.

Continuo Parts

With the emergence of basso continuo, the continuo part was often
signed last in sequence, as in Examples 9 and 10. (In this context, the
placing of the organ in the sequence of signatures in Example 8 is of interest.)
However, increasingly, it would be signed from A, independently of
the signing of the partbooks, as in Example 54, or the following:

• 57. Zuchino: I Motectorum et Missarum à 4-5. Venice: Giacomo Vincenti,
  1609.

  RISM Z361. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C:] A20; [T:] B20; [A:] C20; [B:] D20; [5:] E10; [Organo:] A18.

• 58. Cifra: Motetti et Psalmi à 8. Venice: Bartolomeo Magni, 1629.

  RISM C2209. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: Choir I: [C:] A22; [T:] B18; [A:] C20; [B:] D18;

  Choir II: [C:] E14; [T:] F16; [A:] G18; [B:] H14;

  [Partimento:] A-D4 E6.

Sometimes this is simple to handle, for the book can be included in a
general description, using the processes employed above: entries such as
"A:C2v" or "Part:C2v" are enough to indicate which page is intended. But
there are many cases where the Continuo book not only is signed with letters
used elsewhere, but is also different in other ways. Perhaps it is in folio
while the other parts are in quarto; perhaps it has a different treatment of
the direction line; probably it has a different style of pagination; certainly
it is likely to use a different manner of treating the textual incipits, the
dedication, the attributions, details of scoring, and so on. Here is an example:

• 59. G. Belli: Salmi à 5, Op. 20. Venice: Ricciardo Amadino, 1610.

  RISM B1735. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  [Parts:]

  • Quarto: [C:] A14; [T:] B14; [A:] C14; [B:] D14; [5:] E14.

  • Signatures:] E2 [$1-7, -A1. D7 signed C7.

  • Abbreviated titles on direction lines: 3r, 5r, 7r of each gathering.

  • Pagination:] [i-ii], 1-25, [26].

  • Music begins on 2r of each part.

  [Parte per l'Organo:]

  • Folio: A-H2

  • Signatures:] C [$1, -A1. B1 signed A2.

  • No text on direction lines.

  • Pagination:] [i], 1-30, [31].

  • Music begins on A1v.

There are enough differences in treatment that the organ part needs to
be listed and discussed separately. The next example is slightly more complicated,
though in fact more typical of many volumes from the seventeenth
century:

• 60. Giacobbi: Litanei e motetti. Venice: Bartolomeo Magni, 1618.

  RISM 16187. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  [Parts:]

  • Quarto: Choir I: [C:] A10 Aa2; [T:] B10 Bb2; [A:] C10 Cc2; [B:] D10
    Dd2;

    Choir II: [C:] E10 Ee2; [T:] F8; [A:] G10 Gg2; [B:] H10.

  • Signatures:] $1-5, 1, -F5.

  • Abbreviated titles on direction lines on all folios 3r, and 5r of the
    gatherings in 10.

  • Pagination:] [i-ii], 1-.

  [Per l'Organo:]

  • Folio: I8.

  • Signatures:] $1-4. -A1.

  • Abbreviated title on direction lines on all signed folios.

  • Pagination:] [1], 3, 3, 4-.

  Note. This example is also interesting for suggesting that there was
  some miscalculation in the setting of the vocal parts. A gathering
  of 10 folios, such as the main gathering A of the Cantus,
  implies that 2½ sheets of paper were used. The remaining half
  sheet was used in the small gatherings, such as Aa of the Cantus.
  This may not waste paper, but it is clearly wasteful of effort.

A similar pattern of change can occur between vocal and instrumental
parts. I have already cited Cazzati's Messa e Salmi per li defonti . . . Op. 31
(Example 48) for its unusual pattern of signatures. But is also relevant
here. While the principal voices and the continuo parts were all printed
with normal quarto gatherings, the ripieno voice and instrumental parts
were each printed in one large gathering—still in quarto format, but with
more sheets to the gathering. This may be another example of work being
divided between craftsmen: it is likely though that the simpler nature of the
ripieno and instrumental part-writing allowed a house foreman to cast off
copy more accurately.

Many of Cazzati's editions from Bolognese presses (not least those where
no printer is named) contain bibliographical anomalies of one sort or another.
While some may reflect differing patterns of behaviour within the
printing shops, others suggest that Cazzati's music was not always provided
in a straightforward or timely manner, resulting in changes and problems in
planning the printing of the edition. This lends some credence to the idea
that Cazzati was himself sponsoring many of these editions, and arranging for
their printing.

Anomalous Signings

While several gatherings can have the same signature, the reverse can
also happen, or at least appear to happen, with two sets of signatures in one
gathering. One example, not very confusing, has already been mentioned,
with the signing of the Cantus Primus in Example 55. A very similar pattern
appears in another Roman edition:

• 61. Alias Cantiones sacras à 3, ed. Sylvestris. Rome: Michele Cortellini, 1655.

  RISM 16551. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  [A:] a20; [T:] b20; [B:] c20; [Organum:] d20.

  Signatures: the same pattern in all books:] —, a2, A, A2, A3-A8, [10
  unsigned folios].

Given the signatures, one would expect the book to be constructed as a2
A18. However, it is clearly one continuous gathering of ten bifolios. There
are few plausible reasons why a single gathering should follow this pattern.
One, and the best, may be simply that the first bifolium, containing only
preliminary matter, was originally to have been a free-standing bifolium.
In this case, it may have been incorporated into the gathering so that it
could be conjugate with added folios at the back. This is to some extent
supported by the contents as listed at the end of the volume. After fourteen
compositions ascribed to various Roman composers, which end on the verso
of folio 18, there is added a setting of Quem vidistis pastores, which is ascribed
as a Melos Rusticum. If Sylvestris had wanted to end with the previous
piece, the printer would have been left with no room for a table of contents.
It seems possible therefore that the original preliminary bifolium was
converted at this stage into four folios, wrapped around the rest, initially
to contain the table. As a result, Sylvestris added one more piece, this one
anomalous in that it is not collected Ab Excellentissimis Musices Auctoribus,
as the title-page says (with headlines naming the composers), but is anonymous.

There are other problems with signatures and signing patterns, not all
of them related to the collation. It is notable how many of the following
instances, and also how many of the earlier problem cases, come from
printers working in Rome.

Some printers signed each sheet, rather than each folio, in the first half
of each gathering. In these cases, the gathering structure, and hence the
collation is likely to be straightforward:

• 62. Cifra: VI Madrigali à 5. Rome: Luc' Antonio Soldi, 1623.

  RISM C2225. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C1:] A12; [C2:] B12; [A:] C14; [T:] D12; [B:] E10; [Basso per
  L'Istromenti:] F8.

     

  ---

  226

  
  
  
           

  Gatherings	Signatures
  [C1:]	—	A1	A2	—	A3	—	[6 unsigned folios]
  [C2:]	—	B2	B3	B3	B4	B5		[6 unsigned folios]
  [A:]	—	C2	C2	—	C3	—	C4	[7 unsigned folios]
  [T:]	—	—	D2	—	D3	—		[6 unsigned folios]
  [B:]	—	E2	E2	—	E2			[5 unsigned folios]
  [Basso (Continuo):]	—	F1	F2	F2				[4 unsigned folios]

Here, the plan was apparently to sign each partbook with the same
letter, and number each sheet consecutively. This pattern was not followed
very successfully although the intention is clear. The only completely systematic
part is the Canto Primo: the Tenore and the Continuo books are
correct, although the actual signing is anomalous, while the other three
books contain errors. The evidence is as if the compositor was more used to
signing folios and kept forgetting that he had been instructed to sign each
sheet only once.

If this example showed signing by sheets with the same signature letter
in each gathering, another Roman, Paolo Masotti, could occasionally sign
by the sheet, and give each sheet a different letter, even when two or more
were in the same gathering:

• 63. Arcadelt: Madrigali a quattro . . . corretto . . . Da Claudio Monteverde.
  Rome: Paolo Masotti, 1627.

  RISM A1362 = 16277. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: Canto: [I]16; Alto: [II]16; Tenore: [III]16; Basso: [IV]16.

  Signatures:

           

  folios:	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
  Canto	—	A2	B	B2	C	C2	D	D2	[8 unsigned folios]
  Alto	—	E2	F	F[2]	G	G2	H	H2	[8 unsigned folios]
  Tenore	—	J2	K	K2	L	L2	M	M2	[8 unsigned folios]
  Basso	—	N2	O	O2	P	P2	Q	Q2	[8 unsigned folios]

There are problems here with creating a collational formula, and also
with referring to individual folios. The collation probably has to be written
with editorial symbols for each gathering (as I have done). It would not be
possible to describe the Canto as A-D16, for that would imply four large
gatherings. The only viable alternative is to call the Canto A16 (signed A-D),
the Tenor E16 (signed E-H), etc., which is itself clumsy. It seems clearer to
give a separate list of signings and as simple as possible a collation line,
using editorial collational signs (here roman numerals).

In the same way, there is no easy way to use the signature letters to refer
to individual folios: the fourth folio is part of the sheet B (B2), and so are
the thirteenth and fourteenth (which are actually B3 and B4), while the
fifteenth is part of A (A3)! Again, the editorial signing (the roman numerals)
allows one to cite folios correctly, with or without adding the signatures found
on the page. In effect the book is best treated as though it were unsigned.

Books like this provide an exception to my suggestion (presented below)
that signatures, rather than pagination, should normally be used for citation.
Fortunately, it is also one where the pagination is correct throughout.

Faulty Signings

Frequently a printer did not sign a folio or two which would normally
have been signed. In most cases, especially when the title-page is involved,
he allowed for it in his numbering system, for this was important for his
own methodology as much as for the binder. Then, the modern scholar can
assign the number editorially, in the customary manner. Sometimes, however,
the folio is not allowed for in the sequence of numbers, and here one
has to examine the source more carefully.

• 64. Cazzati: Il terzo libro de motetti a voce sola . . . Opera Decima terza.
  Venice: Alessandro Vincenti, 1651.

  RISM C1594. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.[31]

  One volume in portrait quarto: A-C16.

  Signatures:] A 2 [$1-8, -A1, A2. A3-8 are signed A2-A7.

A1r contains a title, A1v is blank, A2r contains the dedication, and the
music begins on A2v. There are several possible explanations for this signing
pattern. One is that the printer originally intended the first bifolio to be
separate, but found that he had more music than would fit into the resulting
smaller volume. The first bifolio was then converted into two bifolios
wrapped around the rest of the book.[32] An alternative, and more probable,
suggestion is that the music was always intended to start on A1v, so that the
present folio signed A2 would indeed be the second of the book. The decision
to insert the Dedicatory folio would then have been made after typesetting
began, but presumably before reaching the 8th folio of music.

Fairly often, however, the "extra" folio is not matched by a conjugate
in the other half of the gathering, and is truly surplus. This folio may then
have been tipped in:

• 65. Donati: Il secondo libro delle messe da capella . . . Op. 12. Venice: Alessandro
  Vincenti, 1633.

  RISM D3400. Copy at Milan, Capitolo Metropolitano.

  Quarto: [C:] A26 (A1 +1); [T:] B26 (B1 +1); [A:] C26 Cc2; [B:] D24; [5:]
  E12; [BC:] F20.

  Note. The inserted folios after the first in the Cantus and Tenor carry
  the list of names of all the dedicatees. It is not clear whether the
  other partbooks also originally contained this tipped-in leaf.

There is another possible solution, especially during the seventeenth
century. When the unsigned, extra sheet is a title-page or a half-title, one
should suspect the loss of a blank first leaf: the original may have followed
the pattern of Example 33, above.

More extreme is the practice of publishing a title without any signatures
at all. For books like this, Bowers[33] argues for the use of a greek pi or chi
for all unsigned gatherings: and I have used pi regularly in earlier examples.
Normally, of course, he is assuming that the unsigned gatherings are part of
a book which also contains signatures. There are cases, however, such as
the following, where each partbook is completely unsigned. It seems more
sensible to assign editorial collational signatures, using either letters or
roman numerals within brackets:

• 66. Capello: Lamentationi, Benedictus . . . Op. 3. Verona: Angelo Tamo,
  1612.

  RISM C903. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: Choir I: C, [I]6; T, [II]6; A, [III]6; B, [IV]6. Choir II: Violetta,
  [V]4; Viola, [VI]4; Viola [2], [VII]4; Violone, [VIII]4. Choir III:
  Chitaroni, [IX]4.

  Folio: Partitura: [X]6 [XI]8.

This also avoids a further complication in formulation if Bowers' formulae
were followed: the Continuo part would have been described as π6 π8.
While Bowers suggests the use of arabic numerals for sequential unsigned
gatherings, this seems unsatisfactory for music editions, where arabic numerals
are on occasion used for the signatures themselves.

Finally, all printers may at times make errors or produce structures and
signing patterns which are certainly erroneous. In some cases, the signatures
are clearly correctable, and probably indicate something of the procedures
in the printing shop.

The book of Messa e Salmi, Corr. Op. 1 by Cozzi published in 1649
(Example 54) has a clear indication that the Tenor book was prepared after
the Altus: two folios in the Tenor book, C5 and C13 (that is, at the beginning
of the 2nd and 4th gatherings) are actually signed B5 and B13. In the

case of Has quatuor missas (Example 8), there are three wrong signings in
gathering B, the Altus book: the three folios B3-5 are all signed with the
letter A, and corrected in manuscript (in the same hand) in both the Bologna
and Lucca copies. This must surely imply that these two sheets were prepared
after those of the Cantus part, and presumably placed in the same
formes. In the same way, the first three folios of the Bassus of the Quatto
Libri delle Villotte (Example 26) are signed with the signature from the
Tenor book. There is a surprisingly large number of such errors, many of
which are most easily explained as representing the retention of a signature
in a forme during the insertion of material from a different gathering.

However, we can not make this assumption as a matter of course. There
are occasions when it raises impossible solutions:

• 67. Bianchi: Motetti e Messe à 8. Venice: Ricciardo Amadino, 1611.

  RISM B2497. Copy at Lucca, Seminario Arcivescovile.

  Quarto: Choir I: [C:] A12; [T:] B12; [A:] C12; [B:] D12;
  Choir II: [C:] E12; [T:] F12; [A:] G12; [B:] H12; [Basso Continuo:]
  I12.

  Signing errors: C5 signed E5 (corrected in ms.), C6 signed E5; D6 signed
  G6; E5 and 6 signed B5 and B6; F5 and 6 signed D5 and D6; G5 and
  6 signed F5 and F6.

It is wishful thinking to propose a sequence of preparing the partbooks
on the assumption that so many signatures were erroneously retained in the
forme. Such an interpretation suggests that gathering B was prepared before
E, and that before C; also that gathering D was earlier than F, itself earlier
than G. But then G appears to be earlier than D, and both propositions are
clearly not tenable.

• 68. Bernardi: II Madrigaletti à 2-3, Op. 12. Venice: Alessandro Vincenti,
  1621.

  RISM B2069. Copy at Vienna: Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek.

  Quarto: [C1:] A18; [C2:] B18; [B:] C4; [Basso Continuo:] D16.

  Note. The signatures on A9 and B9 are exchanged, though the music
  continues correctly.

This seems a relatively simple error: the most likely explanation is that
the two half-sheets (A9-10 and B9-10) were set up in the same forme. Indeed
most signing errors seem to be explicable through an understanding of
printing-house procedures. But there are some printers, among them Soldi,
who seem more prone to nonsensical patterns:

• 69. Tarditi: Psalmi Magnificat à 8, Lib. II. Rome: Luc' Antonio Soldi, 1620.

  RISM T225. Copy at Piacenza, Biblioteca e Archivio Capitolare.

  ---

  230

  
  
  
                 

  Choir I:	Choir II:
  [C:] A-E4	[C:] H-I4 L-M4 N2
  [A not extant]	[A:] O4R4
  [T:] H-L4 M2 O2	[T:] S-V4 R4
  [B:] O-R4 S2	[B:] Aa-Cc4 D4
  [Violino:] Ff6	[Cornetto:] Ee6
  [Liuto:] Gg6	[Tiorba 1:] Ll6
  	[Bassus ad Organum:] MM-Qq4.

  Note. There are numerous signing problems:

  • I, Violino: signed] Ee, Ff, Ff2, [3 unsigned]

  • II, C: I2 is signed K2

  • II, T: S2 is signed O2

  • II, B: D1 is unsigned

  • II, Cornetto:] Ll, [2 unsigned], Ee, Ee2, [1 unsigned].

II. Pagination and Piece Numbering

The signature pattern has implications for unsigned sheets in ordinary
gatherings, whereby bibliographers can refer to the second half of a gathering
in terms of its "signature". This has produced a simple and easy means,
even in most of the books discussed above, for referring to any folio or page
in a printed book. Even if a book, such as that in Example 1, is only signed
to the second folio in every gathering, a reference to E4r is clear.

However, the second means of referring to each page, a sequence of
page numbers, is unfortunately often less reliable than the folio numbers.
One reason is that page numbers do not refer in any way to the physical
structure of the book, as folio numbers do (or should do). As a result, there
is little need for any consistent pattern, or for any real attempt at accuracy.
The numbers are unlikely to be used by the compositor or pressman to
check for accurate imposition in the forme, nor are they likely to be useful
to the binder (especially since many will be hidden within folds of the paper
before it is trimmed).

The result is not only that pagination patterns could often be erroneous
and the printer feel no need to correct them, but also that a number of different
patterns for numbering (not always by pages) could co-exist, even in
one printing shop, sometimes in one volume.

Among them are the following:

(i) Pagination from the beginning of the musical content, beginning with
number 1, often on folio 2r. This follows normal book-printing practice, in
which the preliminary matter lay on pages without numbers, or with a different
sequence of numbers:

• 70. Sponga/Usper: Messe e Salmi. Venice: Giovanni Vincenti, 1614.

  RISM U116 and 16142. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico
  Musicale.

  ---

  231

  
  
  

  Folio: [C:] A12; [T:] B14; [A:] C10; [B:] D10; [5:] E16; [6:] F4.

  Signatures:] A2 [$ to the midpoint of each gathering.

  Pagination:] [i-ii], 1-.

• 71. Gabrielli: Cantate a voce sola. Bologna: Pier-Maria Monti, 1691.

  RISM G93. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.[34]

  Quarto: π4 A-Q4 R6.

  Pagination:] [i-viii], 1-124, 123-135 [recte 125-137], [138-140].

  Note. Here the whole first gathering is occupied with preliminary material,
  and the musical text begins with the page numbered 1, on A1r.

(ii) Pagination from the start of the musical content, but numbered as if
earlier pages were numbered: this could involve starting on folio 2r with the
number 3, or on 2v with a number 4:

• 72. Il madrigali à 5 de floridi virtuosi. Venice: herede di Girolamo Scotto,
  1575.

  RISM 157511. Copy at Kassel, Landesbibliothek und Murharsche Bibliothek.

  Quarto: [C:] A-D4; [T:] E-H4; [A:] I-M4; [B:] N-Q4; [5:] R-V4.

  Pagination, in all books:] [1-3], 4-31, [32].

• 73. Mazzaferrata: I cantate da camera a voce sola . . . Opera quarta. Bologna:
  Giacomo Monti, 1677.

  RISM M1512. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: A-P4 Q6.

  Signatures:] A 2 [$1-2, -A1, +Q3.

  Pagination:] [1-4], 5-130, [131-132].

(iii) Pagination from the start of the content, but implying a page number
1 somewhere other than on 1r or 2r. A compositor accustomed to paginating
from 2r with number 3 might well assign that number to 2v if an extra page
of preliminary material were required:

• 74. Banchieri: Il metamorfosi musicale, IV canzonette à 3. Venice: Ricciardo
  Amadino, 1606.

  RISM B826. Copy at Augsburg, Staats- und Stadtbibliothek.

  Quarto: [C1:] A16 B2; [C2:] C16 D2; [B:] E16 F2.

  Signatures:] C 2 [$1-8, 1. A3 signed A 2; C3 signed C 2; E2 signed C 2; E3
  signed E 2.

  Pagination, in all books:] [i, 1-3], 4-18, [19], 20-22, [23], 24-.

  Note. Here is another instance where the signing pattern implies that
  

  ---

  232

  
  
  
  signatures were kept in the forme: the erroneous number on A3 is
  retained into C. The attempt at correcting the error in gathering E
  made the situation worse.

(iv) Different pagination patterns in different partbooks, depending on
the presence or absence of a dedication or other preliminary matter. This is
particularly prevalent when there are organ books, often paginated according
to a different pattern (see Examples 59 and 60).

• 75. Arcadelt: III madrigali à 4. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1539.

  RISM A1374-5=153923=155623. Copy at Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.

  The collation for this copy is given at Example 34.

  Pagination: Canto:] [i-ii], I-XXXXV, [46];
  other voices:] [i], I-XXXXV, [46, 47].

  Note. The Cantus part has a Dedicatory letter on folio 1v.

• 76. Cazzati: Antifone, e letanie concertata, Op. 32. Bologna: herede d'Evangelista
  Dozza, 1663.

  RISM C1627. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C:] A14; [A:] B14; [T1:] C16; [T2:] D12; [B:] E14; [Organo:] F16;
  [Vln1:] G6; [Vln2:] H6; Ripieno: [C:] I8; [A:] K8; [T1:] L8; [T2:]
  M6; [B:] N8; [Violone, o Tiorba:] O16.

  Pagination: for gatherings A-E:] [1-3], 4-;

  for gatherings F,M,O:] [1-2], 3-;

  for gatherings G-K,N:] [1], 2-.

(v) Piece numbering: this is already found before 1520, for example in
Petrucci's Motetti de la Corona Libro II of 1519. It is most easily detected
in books where the number of voices increases in later compositions, but the
additional voices are printed in the same few partbooks. This results in some
books having two voice-parts for the same piece on an opening, and the same
number at the head of each page. A well-known example is the I Musica de
diversi auttori à 7-12 (Venice: Giacomo Vincenti & Ricciardo Amadino, 1584:
RISM 15844).

But other books, with consistent scoring, also have piece numbering:
they include works from a wide range of printers. In some cases, it can seem
to be indistinguishable from pagination, given the possibility (common with
villanellas, madrigals and much late sixteenth-century music) of making
each piece or pars fit onto one page. Then the index page, as well as the
preliminary pages, will be unnumbered. Possibly such a pattern should be
called piece numbering if it begins with the number 1 (regardless of the
page involved) and does not number the page of contents at the end of the
part; it also has to be consistent for all partbooks.

There are also instances where the first piece begins on 2r, but, in some
partbooks, the first lines of music are already printed low on the second page
(1v). In these cases, there may be an additional number "1" before the music
on 1v, indicating that the numerals were intended to be piece numbers, at
least at this stage of the book:

• 77. Il Trionfo di Dori à 6. Venice: Angelo Gardano, 1592.

  RISM 159211. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto. [C:] A-D4; [T:] E-H4; [A:[ I-M4; [B:] N-Q4; [5:] R-V4; [6:] X-Z4
  Aa4.

  Pagination begins [i-ii], 1-. An additional numeral "1" appears low on
  N1v and X1v, above the opening of the first piece.

(vi) Piece numbering which turns into pagination towards the end of
many volumes, as longer pieces or those with more voices take up more
than one page. The pattern of inserting a number on each page can continue
to the end of the book. I believe this should normally be called pagination
throughout, unless there is some strong indication otherwise:

• 78. Tiburtino: Fantase et recerchari à 3. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1549.

  RISM T774=154934. Copy at London, British Library.

  Quarto: [C:] F-K4; [T:] L-P4; [B:] A-E4.

  Piece numbering, 1-13, for the first 13 items, which then turns into pagination,
  XIIII-XXV, for the next 8, and again into piece numbering,
  XXVI-XXXIII, for the last 8.

  Note. Bernstein notes[35] that the sequence of arabic numerals changes to
  roman capitals at the change from instrumental pieces by Tiburtino
  to a sequence of madrigals. However, she does not detect that the
  pattern changes from piece numbering to page numbering, nor that
  it changes back again, at another change of repertoire, now involving
  ricercars by Willaert. The first change can be deduced from the evidence
  in her list of contents: and the second was in effect made
  necessary by the repertoire. Willaert's pieces are only identified by
  number, for there is no distinctive heading to the relevant pages.
  Piece numbering was probably more useful for the Tiburtino pieces,
  too, for they are otherwise identified by the solmisation syllables of
  their opening, which means that the first piece has a different "title"
  in the different parts. Significantly, the Bassus changes to roman
  numerals with piece number 10 (on B1r), suggesting that this change
  was at least partly the result of a compositor's decision.

(vii) Pagination which turns into piece numbers. Numbering can begin
with any of the patterns already mentioned, and continue systematically as

pagination, assigning new numbers to different partes if they are on different
pages, but then break down as these large-scale pieces appear at the end of a
volume:

• 79. Gastoldi: Sacre lodi a diversi santi à 5. Venice: Ricciardo Amadino, 1587.

  RISM G480. Copy at Gdansk, Biblioteka Gdaʼnska Oilskiej Akademii
  Nauk.

  Quarto: [C:] A-B4 C6; [T:] D-E4 F8; [A:] G-H4 J6; [B:] K-M4; [5:] N-O4 P6.

Each part opens with a title-page and a Dedication on the first verso.
Neither is paginated, so that number 1 appears on the second recto. Numbering
proceeds normally to page number 15, even though some pieces have
taken more than one page: in other words, this is true pagination. However,
starting at the end of the second gathering, the volume concludes with
a large-scale nine-section Canzone à S. Francesco, texted "Sacrati horrori ove
la folta chioma". As is normal, some sections are reduced scoring, and other
take two pages. At this point, what had been page numbering becomes piece
numbering, as shown below. As a result, the contents list does not need to
be re-set for each partbook:

                                           

Piece	Pars	Canto		Tenore		Alto		Basso		Quinto
1		A2r	1	D2r	1	G2r	1	K2r	1	N2r	1
2		A2v	2	D2v	2	G2v	2	K2v	2	N2v	2
		A3r	3	D3r	3	G3r	3	K3r	3	N3r	3
3		A4r	4	D4r	4	G4r	4	K4r	4	N4r	4
12	1	B4v	14	E4v	14	H4v	14	L4v	14	O4v	14
	2	C1r	15	F1r	15	I1r	15	M1r	15	P1r	15
	3	C1v	16	F1v	16	I1v	16	M1v	16	P1v	16
		C2r	16	F2r	16	I2r	16	M2r	17	P2r	16
	4	—		F2v	17	I2v	17	M2v	18	P2v	17
				F3r	17	I3r	17			P3r	17
	5	C2v	18	F3v	18	—		—		P3v	18
		C3r	18	F4r	18					P4r	19
	6	C3v	19	F4v	19	I3v	18	M3r	19	—
		C4r	19	F5r	19	I4r	19
	7	C4v	20	F5v	20	I4v	20	M3v	20	P4v	20
		C5r	20	F6r	20	I5r	20			P5r	20
	8	C5v	21	F6v	21	I5v	21	M4r	21	P5v	21
				F7r	21
	9	C6r	22	F7v	22	I6r	22	M4v	22	P6r	22
				F8r	22
Tavola		C6v	[23]	F8v	[23]	I6v	[23]	M4v	[22]	P6v	[23]

This evidently sets out to number the pieces—in this case, sections of a
larger work—consistently throughout the five partbooks. The two anomalies

(Bassus M2v, and Quintus P4r) do not destroy the larger pattern, and are
themselves easily explained as temporary reversions to pagination, Amadino's
more normal practice as this time.

• 80. Palestrina: I madrigali à 4. Venice: Herede di Girolamo Scotto, 1596.

  RISM P759. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.[36]

  Quarto: [C:] A-D4; [T:] E-H4; [A:] I-M4; [B:] N-Q4.

  Pagination in all books: [1], 2-30, [31-32]: except that p. 14 of the Altus
  [O2v] is numbered 12, and 31 of the Cantus [D4r] is numbered 30.

  Note. The additional number "30" at the end of the Cantus is over the
  additional fifth voice of the last madrigal, the sixth pars of Ecco
  oscurate i chiari raggi. In essence, therefore, this is not a page number,
  but a piece number. However, numbering begins (at least notionally)
  with the title-page, and so sets out as pagination.

• 81. Taroni: II madrigali à 5. Venice: Ricciardo Amadino, 1612.

  RISM T229. Copy in private possession.

  [C:] A12.

  Signatures:] A 2 [$1-6, including the title-page.

  Pagination:] [i, ii], 1-18, 18, 20, 17, [22].

  Note. Here the volume ends with two eight-voiced pieces, for each of
  which the Canto partbook carries the music for Canto Primo and
  Tenore primo, on facing pages. The two numbers "18" are for the
  first of these, and the numbers "20" and "17" the second. The "17"
  (on 12r) was an error for "20", and presumably retained in the forme
  from 10r. This numbering sequence is strictly piece numbering, but
  looks in the early stages as if it might be pagination.

(viii) Numbering which is based on the numbers appearing in a different
partbook. Thus if the Cantus has pagination, the Altus or Bassus may assign
the same numbers to the same pieces, regardless of the number of pages
they take. This is likely to be most obvious in those volumes which contain
pieces in a steadily increasing number of voices or where two voices are sometimes
entered in the same partbook. In practice, it is most commonly found
with piece numbering:

• 82. Rota: I Missarum à 4-6. Venice: Angelo Gardano, 1595.

  RISM R2784. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C:] A-E4; [T:] F-K4; [A:] L-P4; [B:] Q-V4; [5:] X-Y4 Z6; [6:]
  Aa-Bb4.

  Piece numbering from 1: the Quintus starts with No. 13 and the Sextus
  with No. 25.

---

236





• 83. I Canzon di diversi per sonar à 4-6. Venice: Giacomo Vincenti, 1588.

  RISM 158831. Copy at Basel, Öffentliche Bibliothek der Universität Basel.

  Quarto: [C:] A-B4; [T:] C-D4; [A:] E-F4; [B:] G-H4; [5:] K6; [6:] L4.

  Piece numbering: since each piece occupies just one page, these can act as
  page numbers:

  • [C,T,A,B:] [i-ii], 1-13, [14];

  • [5:] [i-ii], 5, 8 [recte 6], 7-10, 13 [recte 11] 12-13 [14];

  • [6:] [i-ii], 11-13, 4 [recte 14], [iii-iv].

(ix) There are also still cases of foliation, rather than pagination, usually
in books that are in folio format and where the music is laid out choirbook
style. Examples include Palestrina: Missarum Liber Primus (Rome: Valerio
& Luigi Dorico, 1554) and Lambardi: Antiphonarium Vespertina, Seconda
pars (Venice: Cenobio Sancto Spirito, 1597: RISM L366). Among examples
which are not in folio format can be cited the so-called "Cancionero de
Uppsala", Villancicos De diversos Autores (Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1556:
RISM 155630),[37] and Il Lauro Secco (Ferrara: Baldini, Vittorio 1582). Some
keyboard and lute books are also foliated, among them Valente's Intavolatura
(Napoli: Giuseppe Cacchio dall'Aquila, 1576: RISM V33).

Some seventeenth-century books of solo song, usually in a long landscape
format, continue to be foliated. A late example is not truly representative,
in that it is only printed, from engraved plates, on the recto of
each folio: Roncalli: Capricci Armonici, Op. 1 (Bergamo: Sebastian Casetti,
1692: RISM R2447). But the practice was never so common in Italy as it was
north of the Alps.

(x) In addition, of course, there can be confused situations, just as there
are of signatures, in which different books follow different patterns. I have
already cited the case of Bassano's Op. 18 (Example 56), and another from
his output follows, interesting because the pagination patterns follow those
of different gathering structures and signatures:

• 84. Bassani: Salmi concertati à 3-5, Op. 21. Bologna: Marino Silvani, 1699.

  RISM B1213. Copy at Zurich, Zentralbibliothek.

  Quarto:

           

  [C1:] π2 A-E4		[C2]: A-D4
  [T:] π2 A-C4		[A:] A-C4 D6
  [B:] π2 A-C4D6
  	Ripieno:	[C1:] A4B6
  		[etc.]

  Pagination:

       

  ---

  237

  
  
  
     

  [C1:] [i-iv], 1-39, [40]	[C2:] [1-2], 3-32
  [T:] [i-iv], 1-22, [23-24]	[A:] [1-2], 3-34, [35-36]
  [B:] [i-iv], 1-35, [36]
  	Ripieno:	[C1:] [1-2], 3-20
  		[etc.]

  Note. There is no evident reason for the two different collation and
  pagination patterns. All partbooks print the title-page and dedication
  on the first two folios, and start the music on 3r. Nor is the
  presence or absence of an initial unsigned bifolium contingent on
  finishing the rest of the part without an extended last gathering, as
  the Altus and Bassus indicate. We are again reduced to speculating
  about the involvement of two compositors with different practices.

The generally difficult nature of numbering patterns, not to mention
their frequent inconsistencies, argues strongly against using pagination or
piece numbering as a basic manner of referring to bibliographical aspects
of a book. Piece numbering may well be the most easy way of referring to
the musical content, but it obviously cannot be used to describe the structure
or placing of (for example) watermarks. In those cases (common with Gardano
and Scotto) where more than two pieces lie on an opening, or in those
others (common around the turn of the seventeenth century) where one piece
number applies to two or three pages, such numbers become valueless.

Apart from all these situations, however, there is another reason why
page numbers are not a reliable means of reference. During much of the
seventeenth century they are probably the least accurate part of a printed
volume of music. It is possible, of course, to say at the outset of a description
that the modern writer is "using corrected page numbers" and to proceed
entirely consistently. In such a situation, the description will already have
cited the actual pagination, and given the corrected versions against any
errors:

• 85. Musica de'virtuosi della Florida I. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1569.

  RISM 156919. Copies at Dublin, Marsh's Library, and London, British
  Library.

  [C:] A-D4; [T:] E-H4; [A:] I-M4; [B:] N-Q4; [5:] R-V4.

  Signatures:] Aij [$1-2, —all titles. E2 signed Aij.

  Pagination:

  • [C,T,B:] [i-iii], 4-15, 14, 17-31, [32];

  • [A:] [i-iii], 4-15, [16], 17-31, [32];

  • [5:] [i-iii], 4-31, [32].

  Note. The evidence suggests a particular sequence of preparing the books:
  the Tenor was printed immediately after the Canto (hence the
  wrong signature), followed by the Basso: the Alto was probably
  next, and the Quinto last. In addition, we can propose that the inner
  forme of the second gathering, which would contain the page number
  "14", was printed before the outer, and that some form of
  vertical setting was practised.

• 86. Reali: Sonate e Capricci, Op. 1. Venice: Giuseppe Sala, 1709.

  RISM R493. Copy at Dresden, Sächsische Landesbibliothek.

  [Violino 1:] π2 1-7A4; [Violino 2:] π2 1-6B4, 7B2; [Basso:] π2 1-6C4, 7C2; [Violoncello:]
  π2 [D]4.

  Signatures:] A1 [$1-2, —B[7]2, C[7]2, D1, D2.

  Pagination:

  • [Violino 1:] [i-iv], 1-30, [31], 32-37, [38-39], 40-53, [54-56];

  • [Violino 2:] [i-iv], 1-3, 3 [recte 4], 5-27, 82 [recte 28,] 28 [recte 29],
    30-49, [50-52];

  • [Basso] [i-iv], 1-4, [5], 6-18, [19], 20-24, [25], 26-30, [31], 32-33, [34],
    35-38, [39], 40-42, [43], 44-50, [51-52];

  • [Violoncello:] [i-iv], 1-8.

In a case like this, omitted numbers can be safely inferred, and there are
so few actual errors that they can be corrected in the description, and the
correct ones used elsewhere. With so few errors, the process of reading the
description and correlating it with a copy is not hampered by this style of
treatment of errors: and the same is true of a number of my earlier examples.

But these are all simple examples, with few and obvious errors. In other
cases, although there may be more errors, they are worth entering, and even
discussing, because they throw light on the printing patterns or because they
show a remarkable consistency:

• 87. Massone: I Motetti à 2-3. Napoli: Ottavio Beltrano, 1638.

  RISM M1325. Copy at Naples, Biblioteca Oratoriana dei Geroslamini.

  [Parte 1:] A-D 4; [Parte 2:] F-K4; [Parte 3:] a-b4; [Partimento:] A-D 4.

  Signatures:] A 2 [$1-2, —all titles, and a2. 1:B2 signed b2; Partimento B2
  signed M2.

  Pagination:] [1-2], 3-.

  • In Parte 1 pages 25 and 29 are numbered 27 and 31.

  • Parte 2 is paginated:] [1-2], 3-16, 19, 18, 19, 18, 23, 22, 23, 22, 25-37,
    [38].

  In the partimento pages 12 and 13 are numbered 4 and 5.

  Note. In each of these parts, the mis-pagination was a result of mistakes
  during imposition. In the Partimento, two page numbers in the first
  gathering were left unchanged in the second, though the other six
  page numbers were new: the two lay on the same side of the same
  forme. Similarly in the Parte 1, two numbers were left unchanged
  when the inner forme of gathering C was broken up and the outer
  forme inserted. This is also the explanation for the pattern of page
  numbers in Parte 2, where all the page numbers of the inner forme
  were retained for the outer. Incidentally, this evidence provides an
  argument for setting type continuously through the part, rather
  than casting off in advance and setting by formes.

These are still fairly straightforward cases. Unfortunately, however, there
are many other cases where the typesetter has made nonsense of a logical
sequence of numbering. Again, it is possible to list all the numbers and to
give the numbers that should have been used, and then continue with the
"corrected page numbers". However, the list can become so complex that the
reader has trouble using it, especially since few of the numbers will correspond
to those before him in the source. In these cases it is better not to use
page numbers for any references to the content. The following examples
should make this point clear:

• 88. Tudino: Magnificat à 8. Venice: Giacomo Vincenti, 1590.

  RISM T1337. Copy at Kassel, Landesbibliothek und Murharsche
  Bibliothek.

  Quarto: [C:] A10; [T:] B10; [A:] C10; [B:] D10.

  Signatures:] B3 [$1-5, —A1, D1; —all second folios.

  Paginated as follows:

  • [C:] [i-iii], 4, 3, 6-7, 6-7, 10-11, 10-11, 14-15, 14, 17, [18-19], 20.

  • [T:] [i-ii], 1, 4, 3-7, 10-11, 7, 11, 14-15, 12, 17, [iii-iv], 20

  • [A:] [i-iii], 4, 3, 4, 3, 7, 9-11, 11-12, 12, 11, [iv], 17, [v-vi], 20.

  • [B:] [i-iii], 4, 3, 6-7, 7, 7, 10-11, 10-13, [iv], 17, [v-vi], 20.

Analysis of the pagination shows that two different patterns were in
operation. In one (pattern a, below), pagination begins with the title-page,
thought not actually entered until a later page; in the other (pattern b), it is
presumed to start with 2r, athough the first indication may again not be
until later:

                                         

Sheet I	1r	2v	9r	10v		1v	2r	9v	10r
A	—	4	17	20	A	—	—	—	—
B	—	4	17	20	B	—	1	—	—
C	—	4	17	20	C	—	—	—	—
D	—	4	17	20	D	—	—	—	—
Pattern a	[1]	4	17	20	Pattern a	[2]	[3]	18	19
Pattern b	—	2	15	18	Pattern b	—	1	16	17
Sheet II	3r	4v	7r	8v		3v	4r	7v	8r
A	3	6	11	14	A	6	7	14	15
B	3	6	11	12	B	4	5	14	15
C	3	7	12	—	C	4	3	12	11
D	3	7	11	—	D	6	7	12	13
Pattern a	5	8	13	16	Pattern a	6	7	14	15
Pattern b	3	6	11	14	Pattern b	4	5	12	13
Half-Sheet III	5r	6v				5v	6r
A	7	10			A	10	11
B	7	7			B	10	11
C	9	11			C	10	11
D	7	10			D	10	11
Pattern a	9	12			Pattern a	10	11
Pattern b	7	10			Pattern b	8	9

The problem is typified by the two half-formes that comprise the innermost
half sheet, III. While the inner forme follows pattern a, the outer seems
to follow pattern b. The outer forme of the outermost sheet, I, follows pattern
a consistently, while the only number on the inner forme represents
pattern b. Finally, the second sheet has no clear pattern at all, for while the
tendency to pattern b on the outer forme is clear, the inner is far less
clear. No single partbook shows a consistent pattern of following one pattern
rather than the other: indeed one forme of both Tenor and Bassus seems to
change pattern in mid-forme. It is implausible that any one partbook was
set up straight through, without pauses or change of compositor. Whether
this means two compositors, or one who changed his habits, I cannot say.
However, it is clear that any reference to "page 7", "page 11", or "page 18"
will raise doubts in the mind of any reader.

• 89. Strozzi: Sacri Concentus II. Venice: Bartolomeo Magni, heredi Angelo

  Gardano, 1612.

  RISM S6990. Copy Trento, Biblioteca Comunale.

  [Cantus:] A-I4 2I4.

  Signatures:] A2 [$1-2, -A1.

  Paginated from 2r, beginning with 1, according to the following details:

                     

  A:	[i-ii], 1-6	recte [i-ii], 1-6
  B:	8-9, [iii], 10-14	recte 7-14
  C:	[iv], 15-17, 19, [20-21], 22	recte 15-22
  D:	[23], 24-25, 27, 40, 33, 35-36	recte 23-30
  E:	37-40, 42-45	recte 31-38
  F:	47, [v], 48-50, 52-54	recte 38-46
  G:	57, [vi], 58, 62-63, 67-68, 70	recte 47-54
  H:	72-73, 80, 77, [vii-viii], 79, [ix]	recte 55-62
  I:	80, 83-84, 84, [85-86], 88, 95	recte 63-70
  2I:	96-99, [100-104]	recte 71-78

  Note. By laying out the pagination like this, traces can be discerned of
  the manner in which some of the errors were engendered: but the
  arrangement is of most use in keeping a reader oriented with the
  list of contents and any other analytical commentary.[38]

---

241





• 90. Grancino: V Concerti ecclesiastici. Milan: Giorgio Rolla, 1636.

  RISM G3404. Copies at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale,
  and Lodi, Duomo, Archivio Capitolare.

  Quarto: [C:] A-B12; [A:] C-D12; [Organo:] A-C8 D10.

  Pagination:

  • [C:] [i-ii, 1], 2-9, 8-9 [recte 10-11] 12-25, 28-48 [recte 26-46].

    [A:] [i-ii, 1], 2-5, 20-22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 21-29, 29-30, 28-29, 33-34, 34-39,
    39-47, 46, [48].

    [Organo:] [1], 2-5, [6], 7-40, 43 [recte 41], 42-43, 46-49, [70].

  Note. As I show, it is possible to make sense of the numbering in two
  parts (Cantus and Organo), although there is no point in trying to
  list the correct numberings for the Altus. Further, while the reader
  would have problems in trying to relate the corrected numbers of the
  Altus part to a copy in hand, there is also no benefit to be had from
  referring to the printed numerals, especially in the case of 22 and 29!

• 91. Scelta de'Mottetti à 2-3, ed. Caifabri. Rome: Amadeo Belmonte, 1667.

  RISM 16671. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C1:] A8B20; [B:] C2 D18; [C2:] E8 F16; [Organo:] G-I8.

  Cantus 1 pagination:] [1-3], 4-32, [33, i], 34, [ii], 35 [iii], 36, [iv], 37-51, [52].

  Bassus pagination:] [i-ii], 1-3, [iii], 4-6, [iv], 7-17, [18], 19-35, [36].

• 92. Villani: V Psalmi à 8. Venice: Herede di Angelo Gardano, 1612.

  RISM V1555. Copy at Piacenza, Biblioteca e Archivio Capitolare.

  Note. This is the continuo part to No. 12 above.

  Pagination:] [i], 1, [2], 3, [4], 5, [6], 7, [8], 3, [9], 10-11, [12-13], 14, [15],
  16, [17-18], 19-22, [23], 25-26, [27-28], 29, [30-31].

  Note. Here, the difficulty lies not so much in interpreting the sequence,
  but rather in explaining the absence of so many numerals.

Such cases may seem extreme, although they could be multiplied many
times. However, even when the numbering seems logical and relatively consistent,
we can not always be sure what it stands for: the difference between
piece numbering and pagination is not always clear, the significance of the
different patterns of pagination is not yet understood, and the apparent
anomalies are as often the result of a change of plan as they are of compositor's
error. Since the numbering was not needed by either compositor
or binder, but was inserted as a convenience to the user, its accuracy was
seldom a matter of concern. While erroneous signatures can often be seen

to have been corrected in the printer's shop, this is much less frequently the
case with pagination errors.

For these reasons, it seems more logical to use for analytical purposes the
numbering which was needed by both printer and binder, and which therefore
was more likely to be accurate: that is the pattern of signature numbers.
These patterns can be quite varied, but they are more closely followed in a
majority of books.